Ahmadinejad's PR gaff
Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, managed to make a vain PR trip to New York even worse and all of his own making.He had initially been refused a photo opportunity at Ground Zero - probably a good thing for the US and Iran as he went on to question who actually carried out 9/11.
His assertions that the Holocaust was a "myth", Israel should be wiped off the map and his attempt to get a nuclear option are well known.
When questioned about Iran's execution of homosexuals at a presentation at Columbia University his reply was meet with incredulity:
"In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country." The Soviets use to same the same thing.
If the Iranian president was hoping to allay US fears or more probably win over US public opinion it back fired.
posted by Rob Baker at 4:38 AM
2 Comments:
I very much doubt he's that bothered about US public opinion. More important is how all this plays back at home.
He's always positioned himself as a straight talking ordinary guy, prepared to stand up for himself and his country.
Holocaust denial has done him no harm, neither will winding-up New York's gay community.
6:42 AM
Stephen,
I agree to some extent.
However, I think there are those in his country, both ordinary people and government officials that resent him and do not buy into his policies.
I do think he was thinking somehow that he could play a propaganda game with Bush; drive a wedge between him and his US electorate - very wishful thinking indeed if at all true.
The question what does he really believe and only he can say that, so his trip to the US and what he hoped to achieve will be open to debate. Still, your opinion is as good as mine and perhaps much better.
Rob
9:13 AM
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