He wants Israel wiped off the face of the earth, dismisses the Holocaust as a myth and defies the world by pushing ahead with a nuclear program. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's fiery rhetoric has found instant appeal among some Arabs, who consider him a hero for standing up to Israel and the West. But not everyone is cheering the hard-line leader.
Many Arabs interviewed by The Associated Press said Ahmadinejad's rhetoric and defiance remind them of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, and worry they will result in violence and turmoil for the Middle East.
They say the Iranian leader's comments against Israel are meaningless, especially without a common Arab stand on the issue. They find his insistence on developing a nuclear program worrisome because he may use the technology against them. And many say Ahmadinejad's focus should be redirected toward Iran's foundering economy.
"The Iranian president is beating his head against the wall. He is as foolish as Saddam," said Hussein Kadhim Thijeel, a teacher from the Iraqi city of Karbala. "He will make his people go through the same suffering that Saddam brought to the Iraqi people."
Mohammed Ahmed, a 30-year-old Jordanian electrician, agreed: "Ahmadinejad is speaking irresponsible and nonsensical words. He is repeating the Iraqi president's mistakes."
"He's a liar because he doesn't possess enough resources to wage war against Israel," said Mohammed Salim, an Egyptian retiree.
No comments:
Post a Comment