Circular Logic
On Sunday I mentioned that the German magazine Der Spiegel had an interview with the president of Iran coming out. No link was available at that time. I have one now. And, frankly, Ahmadinejad comes across as even less in touch with reality than the preliminary reports indicated. The first part of the interview is the biggest exercise in circular logic I have ever seen.
SPIEGEL: Denying the Holocaust is punishable in Germany. Are you indifferent when confronted with so much outrage?
Ahmadinejad: I know that DER SPIEGEL is a respected magazine. But I don't know whether it is possible for you to publish the truth about the Holocaust. Are you permitted to write everything about it?
SPIEGEL: Of course we are entitled to write about the findings of the past 60 years' historical research. In our view there is no doubt that the Germans – unfortunately – bear the guilt for the murder of 6 million Jews.
Ahmadinejad: Well, then we have stirred up a very concrete discussion. We are posing two very clear questions. The first is: Did the Holocaust actually take place? You answer this question in the affirmative. So, the second question is: Whose fault was it? The answer to that has to be found in Europe and not in Palestine. It is perfectly clear: If the Holocaust took place in Europe, one also has to find the answer to it in Europe.
On the other hand, if the Holocaust didn't take place, why then did this regime of occupation …
SPIEGEL: … You mean the state of Israel…
Ahmadinejad: … come about? Why do the European countries commit themselves to defending this regime? Permit me to make one more point. We are of the opinion that, if an historical occurrence conforms to the truth, this truth will be revealed all the more clearly if there is more research into it and more discussion about it.
SPIEGEL: That has long since happened in Germany.
Ahmadinejad: We don't want to confirm or deny the Holocaust. We oppose every type of crime against any people. But we want to know whether this crime actually took place or not. If it did, then those who bear the responsibility for it have to be punished, and not the Palestinians. Why isn't research into a deed that occurred 60 years ago permitted? After all, other historical occurrences, some of which lie several thousand years in the past, are open to research, and even the governments support this.
SPIEGEL: Mr. President, with all due respect, the Holocaust occurred, there were concentration camps, there are dossiers on the extermination of the Jews, there has been a great deal of research, and there is neither the slightest doubt about the Holocaust nor about the fact – we greatly regret this – that the Germans are responsible for it. If we may now add one remark: the fate of the Palestinians is an entirely different issue, and this brings us into the present.
Ahmadinejad: No, no, the roots of the Palestinian conflict must be sought in history. The Holocaust and Palestine are directly connected with one another. And if the Holocaust actually occurred, then you should permit impartial groups from the whole world to research this. Why do you restrict the research to a certain group? Of course, I don't mean you, but rather the European governments.
SPIEGEL: Are you still saying that the Holocaust is just "a myth?"
Ahmadinejad: I will only accept something as truth if I am actually convinced of it.
SPIEGEL: Even though no Western scholars harbor any doubt about the Holocaust?
Ahmadinejad: But there are two opinions on this in Europe. One group of scholars or persons, most of them politically motivated, say the Holocaust occurred. Then there is the group of scholars who represent the opposite position and have therefore been imprisoned for the most part. Hence, an impartial group has to come together to investigate and to render an opinion on this very important subject, because the clarification of this issue will contribute to the solution of global problems. Under the pretext of the Holocaust, a very strong polarization has taken place in the world and fronts have been formed. It would therefore be very good if an international and impartial group looked into the matter in order to clarify it once and for all. Normally, governments promote and support the work of researchers on historical events and do not put them in prison.
I have to hand it to the interviewer, he hung right in there. But Ahmadinejad is completely impervious to logic or reason. Houston, we have a problem.
UPDATE: Commentary from Der Spiegel. Others: All Things Beautiful, Captain's Quarters, Chequer-Board, Liberty and Justice and Hugh Hewitt.
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All Things Beautiful — May 30, 2006 @ 2:02 pm
By beth, May 30, 2006 @ 9:58 am
And this is the man the progressives think we should try to reason with….
Houston, we DEFINITLY have a problem.
By AK, May 30, 2006 @ 12:38 pm
I laugh at the comments left here and other blogs. He is simply using the Halocuast as an example, but the people (you) fail to understand. Iran is simply under attack because it is a muslim country, and the world fears their power. Every country has weapons, hell US just sold f-16’s to India. It is true the interviewer stated that the US is losing in Iraq. The US supllied weapons during the Soviet Union raid in the past, Now Russia is supplying the taliban with weapons. Why are we not questioning them?Why can’t Iran have nuclear power? Politics makes me sick because its full of BULL and PATHETIC comments.
By Gaius, May 30, 2006 @ 12:41 pm
Glad to see your grip on reality is good and strong.
Not.
By AK, May 30, 2006 @ 12:44 pm
Your scared of the truth. simply put. do your research.
By Gaius, May 30, 2006 @ 12:51 pm
Okey dokey, then.
By JT, May 30, 2006 @ 1:37 pm
There were Jews and Christians living in the Middle East long before there was a Muslim religion — so who’s the “Johnny come lately?”
By Gaius, May 30, 2006 @ 1:47 pm
Oh, I’m sorry JT, didn’t you get the memo? You’re not supposed to remember inconvenient things like that.
By cmart, May 30, 2006 @ 2:21 pm
Was there ever, in British Mandate Palestine, a ‘nationally conscious’ ‘Arab Palestinian People’?
The evidence suggests not: http://www.hirhome.com/israel/pal_mov2.htm
By Jim O'Hara, May 30, 2006 @ 2:41 pm
Did you ever think that these absurd statements are Ahmadinejad trying to upset Israelis? It’s just another form of the rampant anti-semitism that runs throughout the region. Notice how he pulled a total non-sequitor (and good on Spiegel to call him on it) and brought up the loaded term “Palestinians” and their so called ‘plight’, as if it somehow equated to the holocaust? Pathetic.
This kind of racist bunk is all over the Arab press. Check out this ADL compilation of anti-semitism in the Saudi press: http://www.adl.org/Anti_semitism/arab/saudi_image.asp
The point I’m trying to make is these statements don’t make him a delusional whacko (he may be), but they do prove he’s a anti-semite that knows how to appeal to his constituents. The big question, how we put an end to anti-semetic beliefs in the middle east, is unclear…
Jim
By Black Jack, May 30, 2006 @ 3:19 pm
Just a thought, it might be wise to be a bit more careful tossing around “anti-Semite.” Since Arabs and Hebrews are both Semitic peoples, although Iranians are not.
By Liberty and Justice, May 31, 2006 @ 1:25 am
AK, a.k.a. Ahmed Khalied:
“I laugh at the comments left here and other blogs. He is simply using the Halocuast as an example, but the people (you) fail to understand. Iran is simply under attack because it is a muslim country, and the world fears their power.”
No, Iran is under attack because it is ruled by a lunatic islamo-fascist called Ahmadinejad, who openly speaks about destroying Israel and who publicly supports terrorism.