Congratulations!
Pouring in for the president-elect of the United States of Omerica. Change, we hope, say the world’s despots. Worst first. BBC, Hope for Iran:
It has taken nearly two days to emerge, but the message of congratulations from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to US President-elect Barack Obama is almost certainly unprecedented since the Islamic Revolution.
Iran and the United States are more used to trading insults – the “Axis of Evil” versus the “Great Satan”.
So this message seems to open intriguing possibilities in US-Iranian relations.
You might have not guessed it from his rhetoric, but it is widely believed in Tehran that President Ahmadinejad is keen for some sort of reconciliation with the US.
I guessed it. I know what the hold up was, too. Here’s A’jad, via Beeb:
“I congratulate you on being able to attract the majority of votes of the participants of the election.”
“As you know the opportunities provided by the Almighty God, which can be used for elevation of nations, or God forbid, for their collapse, are transient,” the message continued.
“I hope you will prefer real public interests and justice to the never-ending demands of a selfish minority and seize the opportunity to serve people so that you will be remembered with high esteem …”
Mr Ahmadinejad said Americans expected the government to “rectify the critical situation facing the US, restore lost reputation as well as their hope and spirit, fully respect human rights and strengthen family foundations”.
I’m sorry, does he mean Americans expect that of our government or his?
He continued: “Other nations also expect war-oriented policies, occupation, bullying, contempt of nations and imposing discriminatory policies on them to be replaced by the ones advocating justice, respect for human rights, friendship and non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs.
Well, yeah. Cut it out.
“They also want US intervention to be limited to its [own] borders, especially in the Middle East. It is highly expected to reverse the unfair attitude towards restoring the rights of the Palestinians, Iraqis and Afghans.
I think he means “us intervention,” as in “our intervention.” Poor translation.
“The great nation of Iran welcomes basic and fair changes in US policies and conducts, especially in the region.”
Basic changes enthusiastically received.
OK, Hugo Chavez, you’re up next. Xinhua:
”We are convinced that we have reached the time to reset new ties between our countries and with our region, based on the principles of respect and sovereignty, equality and true cooperation.”
Fidel’s a fan, too. Obama’s calm, he’s black. Not old and uneducated like McCain. The Hill:
… just hours before the polls closed in the U.S. In it, the 82-year-old ailing former president sharply criticized the U.S. and McCain, while praising Obama, whom he called “surely more clever, better educated and calm than his Republican adversary” and “the best political speaker in the United States in the past decades.”
In a statement titled “Reflections by Comrade Fidel [on] the Nov. 4 elections,” Castro said, “It is a known fact that the black population introduced in the U.S. territory throughout centuries of slavery is the victim of a marked racial discrimination. The Democratic candidate Obama is partly black; the dark skin and features of that race are predominant in him.”
Declaring that he has “been watching the struggle between the contenders,” Castro said, “The black candidate caused much amazement with his nomination in the face of strong adversaries. He has well-articulated ideas which he hammers once and again into the voters’ minds. He does not hesitate to claim that more than Republicans or Democrats, they are all Americans, the citizens he qualifies as the most productive in the world.”
Castro also indicated his approval of Obama’s opposition to the war in Iraq, which he described as “a war of conquest imposed by the empire seeking for oil.” He said Obama “insists repeatedly that the ruinous spending on Bush’s war in Iraq will not be paid by the American taxpayers. He will put an end to it and bring the U.S. troops back.”
Still looking around for Kim Jong Il. The site appears to pist one day only, and this is the closest thing I found to an acknowledgement to any recent activity regarding the imperialist aggressors. DPRK News:
Imperialists’ Sophism about “Human Rights” and “Democracy” Dismissed
Pyongyang, November 6 (KCNA) — “Protection of human rights” and “democracy” touted by the imperialist reactionaries are nothing but sophism to cover up their moves for interference and domination over other countries.
Rodong Sinmun Thursday says this in a signed article.It goes on:
It is ridiculous, indeed, for the imperialists to oft-repeat “protection of human rights” and “democracy” for the purpose of meeting their selfish aim, without having proper knowledge about genuine human rights and democracy.
It is the capitalist countries where human rights are most wantonly violated. The popular masses in those countries are denied any political rights and freedom and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening as the days go by.
In those countries the people are subject to imprisonment for demanding democratic freedom and rights. Due to the prevalence of the reactionary ideas and culture the people are spiritually and culturally deformed and fall victim to violence.
Socialist democracy is the only genuine democracy in the world. Socialist democracy helps the popular masses emerge masters of the state and society and fully exercise their rights as masters in all fabrics of social life.
The U.S. is so foolish as to dare find fault with the DPRK over “human rights issue” and do harm to it, the article notes, and goes on:
The ulterior aim of the U.S. imperialists is to damage the international prestige of the DPRK over the “human rights issue in the north”, internationalize their moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK and secure a pretext to launch a military aggression against it.
There has been no human rights issue in the DPRK and it cannot exist there.
OK, that pretty much says it all, and they clearly didn’t buy McCain’s “socialist” line. Kim, or whoever is pulling the strings over there these days has Obama on notice he better cough up more fuel, food and cash or they will hate us. Which means they clearly know what Obama’s weak point is.
This could be part of the problem. Obama, in his chats with nine world leaders, told SK President Lee the US-ROK relationship is a “cornerstone” of Asian stability. Good thing he noticed.
Topics: Cuba, Iran, Kim, Korea, Obama, chavez
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:21 pm Comments (2) on Thursday, November 6, 2008
2 Responses to “Congratulations!”
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November 7th, 2008 at 2:55 am
[...] clipped from http://www.julescrittenden.com [...]
November 7th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Can it be that the tyrants of the world recognized Obama for what he is better than the people who voted for him? Or are they projecting? Time will tell, I suppose.