Obama condemns Ahmadinejad's anti-Semitic UN remarks

In the below-quoted story, the AFP calls Ahmadinejad's remarks to the U.N. anti-Zionist because they choose to take what he said at face value. Barack Obama, on the other hand, rightly calls the speech anti-Semitic. Here's why: Ahmadinejad said:

"a small but deceitful number of people called Zionists ... dominat(e) an important portion of the financial and monetary centers ... (in) a deceitful, complex and furtive manner.""

In response, Israeli President Shimon Peres had this to say:

"This is the first time in the history of the United Nations that the head of a state is appearing openly and publicly with the ugly and dark accusations of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion,'"

Ahmadinejad's very obvious substitution of the word "Zionists" for the word "Jews" in a standard anti-Semitic meme provides a clear example of how the contemporary anti-Semite operates. This mutation of anti-Semitism fools only those who wish to be fooled. Unfortunately, they are many -- among them, it seems, the editors at AFP. Thankfully, Barack Obama is not among those who are deceived.


from AFP: Obama condemns Ahmadinejad's anti-Zionist UN remarks

CLEARWATER, Florida (AFP) — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's anti-Zionist and anti-US remarks in his speech at the UN General Assembly.

"I strongly condemn President Ahmadinejad's outrageous remarks at the United Nations, and am disappointed that he had a platform to air his hateful and anti-Semitic views," Obama said in a statement.

"The threat from Iran's nuclear program is grave. Now is the time for Americans to unite on behalf of the strong sanctions that are needed to increase pressure on the Iranian regime," Obama said.

In his speech Ahmadinejad lashed out at Israel and its chief ally the United States, saying "the Zionist regime is on a definite slope to collapse and there is no way for it to get out of the cesspool created by itself and its supporters."

He added: the "American empire in the world is reaching the end of its road."

Obama, a senator from the state of Illinois, called on his Republican rival, Senator McCain, "to join me in supporting a bipartisan bill to increase pressure on the Iranian regime by allowing states and private companies to divest from companies doing business in Iran.

"The security of our ally Israel is too important to play partisan politics, and it is deeply disappointing that Senator McCain and a few of his allies in Congress feel otherwise," he said.