The Letter that George Bush Never Wrote

Youssef Goleyjani, Iran va Jahan:

In Reply to the letter of Mr. Ahmadinejad
The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran


Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidential Office
Teheran, Iran

Don’t be surprised if I do not address you as “Mr. President”. A president is defined as “the highest chief executive of a country designated by people in a free election to the highest office of the country”. You however, are neither the highest personality of your country nor have you been freely elected by your fellow countrymen. I remind you that you have been named the winner of an election in which the participation of over 1000 candidates including university professors from both inside and outside Iran, known political activists and even reformists from within your own regime had been ruled out by a non-elected institution. (The Council of the Guardians of the Constitution) READ MORE

In addition to this massive exclusion of candidates in the presidential election of June 2005, the election was not even fair to those who had survived the Guardians of the Constitution’s filtering procedure. The existence of a plan called “Bassir” was brought to my attention. This was designed to incite the armed forces of the country, notably “The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps” and the Iranian paramilitary “Bassij” to collect votes and to fill the ballot boxes. The extent of this electoral fraud was such that in some places your votes outnumbered the registered voters! For instance, results demonstrated that in “Shemiran”, the pilot area where you have been the happy winner, the number of votes cast was 8 times greater than

Do not try to blame the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran for reminding the world of the lack of free elections in your country in general, and particularly that of June 2005. You have certainly not forgotten that even Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani (one of the pillars of your revolution) could do nothing but complaining to God Almighty about all these injustices.

You start your letter with questions that you claim are regularly debated by Iranian people and especially among students. Due of the reasons cited above and many others, I cannot allow you to address me in the name of Iranian people and Iranian students. Which students? Those who have been deprived of education because they drew your cartoon in a university journal? Those who are imprisoned and tortured to death because they have protested against the assassination of their friends? Do you speak for the students who have been protesting because you have decided to bury your "martyrs" on the university campus and in this way turn the universities into cemeteries? Students, who sadly, in what should be the best years of their life, prefer death to life and commit suicide?

Your letter of 8 May 2006, instead of being an attempt to improve the relationships between our two countries, or to alleviate international concerns regarding your nuclear ambitions, has been clearly designed to influence the fundamentalists and the enemies of the West.

However, I am writing this to address the major points of your letter, hoping that even those fundamentalists can read them and think for a few seconds without prejudice.

Regarding the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and Saddam Hussein’s willingness to employ them, this should not be held in doubt, particularly by Iranians who have been their victims. The inspections made in Iraq between 1992 and 1998 revealed the extent of Bath Regime’s ambitions to obtain weapons of mass destruction. The expulsion of United Nations inspectors from Iraq in 1998 had lead us to suspect Saddam’s intentions. Aggressive intentions which were clearly demonstrated during the Iran-Iraq’s war and also during the invasion of Kuwait.

It is true that later it was proved that the main parts of intelligence received from Iraq were faulty, but in the absence of any reliable international inspections from 1998 to 2003, which responsible leader in this world could have left the security of a sensitive region like the Middle East to the good intentions of a dictator like Saddam Hussein?

If today you admit the general happiness of the region’s people about Saddam’s removal from the power, do not forget that American lives and money made this possible. Restoration of security and democracy in Iraq faces great difficulties, but Mr. Ahmadi Nejad, who causes these difficulties? Who carries out the bombings and the killings of women, children and workers? Are they not the fanatics like you who consider the fight against the West more important than innocents lives and more important than any thing else in this world?

You accuse the West of having helped Iraq during the war with Iran. Do I need to remind you that your greatest supporter today (Russia) had a defense treaty agreement with Iraq and provided Iraq with 85% of all her military needs?

The accident which caused the shooting down of an Iranian passenger airplane in the Persian Gulf was a deplorable mistake. We reacted quickly to this accident and apologized unreservedly, offering compensation to the victims’ families. Your regime insisted that the compensation be paid to the Iranian government while we preferred it to go directly to the victims’ families. This unfortunate accident could undoubtedly have been avoided, if Iran's Civil Aviation Organization had the common sense to choose other air routes than the one over the war zone.

Although you disagree, we believe that the United States of America was neutral in Iran-Iraq’s war. After your revolution of 1979, the American government recognized the new regime and had a sincere desire to continue its friendly relationship with Iran. For further information on this matter, I advise you to read all books and memories of those involved in the events of that period, both Iranian and foreigners (The non censored versions, would of course be a better option).

What makes you believe in American hostility towards the Islamic revolution of 1979? Particularly as there were so many people who, unjustly, accused and continue to accuse the US of helping your revolution along by making the Shah’s regime practically untenable.

The initial good intentions of our country was rewarded by launching a barbaric, attack on our Embassy in Tehran and taking our diplomats hostage. In doing this, your regime flouted the most elementary principles of international laws and yet today you speak to me of international principles.

Since that hostage taking event and regardless of the different American governments and policies in place, your hostility towards my country has been a constant principle in your foreign and even internal policies. My country’s flag has been regularly insulted, it has been set on fire and your soldiers have trampled it under foot. In every religious and political gathering, your cries of “death to America” are heard and you openly incite the destruction of my country. You help and train anti-American terrorist groups. You have arrogantly refused the friendly hand of all previous American governments, and now you expect us to respect you and to take no hostile actions against you.

Mr. Ahmadinejad,

You talk about the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay as if they were innocent altar boys. These prisoners are in fact the men trained by Al Qhaeda in more than 30 training camps in Afghanistan to carry out terrorist attacks against my country and the West. The famous terrorist, Abou Moussab Al Zarqavi is one of them who with the generous help of your intelligent services managed to reach Iraq under the protection of Saddam Hussein.

The reason why they are kept in Guantanamo Bay is the lack of international laws dealing with terrorism. Some governments, such as yours, do not allow an agreement on the definition of the word "terrorism" to be reached. Whenever the West is attacked you prefer to call it a “liberating struggle” than terrorism.

The prisoners of Guantanamo Bay have been arrested in the war between the USA and the Taliban and Al Qhaeda. Their trial within the American judiciary system, if not impossible, is very difficult. Simply because they have not committed any crimes on American soil. Some prisoners have been repatriated only to resume their involvement in terrorist activities.

The prisoners of Guantanamo Bay can be considered as prisoners of war. This would suggest that they need to be detained till a normalization of the situation.

I do not claim that these people are being held in luxurious surroundings however, the envoys of the international Red Cross visit them on a regular basis and check their sanitary and life conditions while the prisoners of your country are deprived of these rights. In addition, regarding your claims that we have "kidnapped and kept people in hidden prisons", take a closer look at your own regime and at yourself to see whether you are in a position to accuse others.

Mr. Ahmadi Nejad

You mention in your letter that Israel did not exist 60 years ago. There are plenty of other countries which did not exist 60 years ago neither. Among Iran’s present neighbors only Turkey and Afghanistan can boast of over 250 years political existence, the rest have been created in the 20th century and some only in the last 15 years.

Anti-Jewish people like you, present the facts as if a group of European Jews with no link whatsoever with Palestine, came and massacred the real owners of those lands and built Israel instead.

I do not intend to tell you the story of the Jewish nation but I would point out that the Jews have historical roots in Palestine. What should be considered is whether an interruption in a nation’s sovereignty over its land means that sovereignty right should be limited. “Goa” was invaded by Indian troops in 1961 after being ruled for 450 years by the Portugese. The international community however, did not deny the right of Indian sovereignty over “Goa” even after all those years.

You believe that Palestinians, who left this land since 80 years ago, voluntarily or by force, can still claim sovereignty. The question is: what is the length of time after which the sovereignty of a nation over its land is no longer recognized, after 60 years, 450 years or 1000 years and who makes this judgment?

It is true that the ancient boundaries, past empires and old countries could not be restored again without endangering an already frail world peace. However, the right of nations to return to their historical lands could not be denied easily. In such conditions, accepting the status quo might be the best way to compensate all injustices committed in the past.

Your friends and allies, Mr. Ahmadinejad, only see the facts the way they wish to. I am not Israel’s attorney, they can defend themselves when needed. With regard to the attitude and manners of Israel, there are issues to be criticized and the US government has in many cases been clear in their criticism. But when you talk about the brutal operations of Israeli forces against Palestinians, do not forget the attacks carried out by Palestinian terrorist groups. These groups rely on your regime’s support for financing, training and media exposure. If killing innocent people is horrible, how can you admire, encourage and invest in the suicide bombings in the buses, restaurants and markets in Israel?

In 1993, the world came close to the implementation of a fair peace in this region. Who, using terror attacks, tried and succeeded in disrupting the peace?

Mr. Ahmadinejad,

You repeatedly deny the mass murder of Jews by Nazis during the World War II. There are undeniable documents to prove this historical fact, and for further information, I strongly advise you to visit the Yad Vashem memorial in Israel. This said, even though you and other revisionist friends claim to have proof that the number of victims of the holocaust were 3 or 4 million and not 6 million, does this diminish the nature of the atrocities committed by the Nazis? Is the oppression of people solely because of their tribal or religious identity not condemnable in your beliefs? If it were so, you would probably treat the “Bahrain's”, the non Moslems and even the non Shiites slightly better.

The most interesting point in your letter is your pressing demand for implementation of a referendum with participation by all refugees and exiled Palestinians to decide on the nature and even the name of the future Palestine. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of your pre-conditions to this referendum be the non participation of Jews who have not been living in Palestine for a few generations. In other words, your solution for settlement of peace in the Middle East would be that Palestinians vote the dissolution of Israel and that this should be accepted by Jewish people. I imagine you must be encouraged by your Leader each time you talk about this intelligent project.

If the right of Palestinians to a referendum is so dear to you, why do you refuse the Iranian people the same right? Iranians have been demanding free elections and a referendum to change the constitution for years now. But they are attacked in the streets by your "civil agents", they are oppressed and imprisoned. They are tortured and expelled from your universities.

Mr. Ahmadinejad,

I am pleased to see that you consider the will and eagerness to "scientific achievements as one of the most basic rights for all nations". I can only hope that you stick to this principle by canceling the censorship of scientific books and papers in the fields of biology, history and philosophy etc... So that researchers may be permitted to freely research and ask questions in all subjects for instance, creation, evolution, humanity, history of Iran and Islam, and that they may be allowed to publish their works.

During the Middle Ages, some ignorant religious people were categorically refusing the right of scientific investigation as they firmly believed that "all the knowledge that men needed were to be found in the Holy Book". Fortunately, 500 years ago, Europe managed to free herself from this yoke and opened the way to knowledge and scientific progress. In other societies, even a few decades ago, there were ignorant and unenlightened people who were preaching against Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, engineering etc... And who believed in only "two forms of knowledge; religious knowledge dealing with men’s soul and medical knowledge dealing with their bodies". They were hostiles to all types of arts, music, painting, sculpture, dance and singing. These idiots forbade whatever was from the West; radio, television, cinema, occidental medicines and even the railway. In your own country, some of your religious leaders were against the railway; please refer to the archives to find out why the railway station of “Sabzevar” was built 50 kilometres out of the town. Hostility towards new technologies e.g. satellite broadcastings, still exists in Iran today.

Regarding your nuclear program or what you call the "nuclear research and investigation program". Your regime, regardless of all your obligations towards the IAEA, has deceived them for 19 years by hiding your so called peaceful nuclear activities. You certainly know that any country capable of enriching uranium to 4.5% will also be able to do it up to 90% and higher and ultimately make atomic bombs. Do not try to hide your real intentions behind the nuclear fuel cycle. In which nuclear power plant are you planning to employ this nuclear fuel cycle? You have one nuclear power reactor in construction to generate electricity, for which Russia has guaranteed a 10 year fuel provision. There is no other reactor, and customers are not lined up either. Is there any other reason for this program other than using the excuse of scientific progress to obtain the knowledge and equipments of bomb making? You have purchased facilities from China and Russia to enrich uranium without them being declared to the IAEA. Iran and Libya have purchased the same facilities and plans and these purchases were hidden from the IAEA. All facilities you have provided from Pakistan and North Korea were later presented by Iranian authorities as their local findings and achievements.

And you continue to hide and lie. The inspectors of the IAEA have not been permitted to inspect your suspicious sites. You do not permit your scientists to be interviewed by IAEA. You hide all requested plans and programs from inspectors and are still stunned as to why the international community does not trust you.

In these circumstances, and given your relationships with terrorist organizations, the hatred you preach against the West and your vows to wipe Israel out of the map, allowing you to obtain atomic bombs would appear foolhardy.

Mr. Ahmadinejad, Your letter contains some interesting elements. For instance, you condemn lying and in the next line, you make a false reproach to the USA. You say that we do not permit the Latin Americans to freely elect their governments. Obviously you are not familiar with the situation in this region and have not noticed that apart from your friend “Cuba”, all other Latin American governments have been elected with free elections and many of them such as the left wing governments of Venezuela, Brazil, Argentine, Chile and recently Bolivia do not back the USA.

Regarding Africa, you write as if we were still in the 1960’s claiming that on this continent everything is ready for development and progress which is thwarted by the hostility of the nasty Americans and Europeans.

Mr. Ahmadinejad,

If development and progress depended on the natural minerals and other underground sources of a country, Denmark one of the most developed countries in the world, would have been considered as a less developed one. I do not intend to insult any people, but a nation who has nothing else to present to the international community but its minerals could not be realistically considered as "creative, hard workers and intelligent". Do not blame the developed countries for buying your petrol and other resources. Have you ever thought what would happen to you if the developed countries stopped buying them from you?

Mr. Ahmadinejad,

I will now address a few other issues that you raised, again in the name of the Iranian people. Of course my explanations are not for you whose intension is only propaganda but for other readers of this letter.

We never had any kind of hostility towards oil nationalization in Iran at the beginning of 1950s. This was known to Mr. Mohammad Mossadegh the Iranian prime minister of the time, better than anybody else. The United States of America did their best to help finding equitable solutions to the divergence between Iran and Great Britain. Mr. Averell Harriman’s mission to Iran in July 1951 and the proposals given to Mr. Mossadegh were among these efforts. However, Mr. Mossadegh’s way of managing governmental affairs placed him in such a position that he could not stop the wave he had created. Communists and soviet agents made the most of this situation. Bear in mind that until March 1953, when Mr. Mossadaegh’s removal from power was being planned, Stalin was still alive. The principal goal of USA in taking part in actions leading to his removal from power was solely to avoid Iran falling in Stalin’s hands and not for oil.

Madeleine Albright, the former Secretary of State offered America’s apologies to your predecessor, Mohammad Khatami, but this was not accepted by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

With the great interest that you show in the history of the last century, have you noted and thanked the USA for their role in returning “Azerbaijan” and” Kurdistan” to Iran in 1946?

It is astonishing that you also refer to the freezing of Iranian assets by USA. I take this opportunity to remind you that these frozen Iranian assets of up to 10.52 billion dollars plus interest were repaid in two instalments to the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran according to the agreement reached between two countries during the “Algiers agreement”. I suggest you trace them and see where they have gone to!

The only money left is a few million dollars confiscated from the account of the Iranian Embassy in Washington when you attacked the US embassy in Iran and if you looked into this case, you would realise that in this matter we are the debtors and certainly not you. Next time you talk about Iranian assets confiscated by the US government, please explain what assets you refer to, so we can look into it carefully.

Mr. Ahmadinejad,

In your letter, the 9/11 attacks have been implicitly attributed to our intelligent services. Apparently, since 19 August 1978, when the fundamentalists set fire to a movie theatre “Cinema Rex of Abadan” burning hundreds of Iranians trapped inside the hall, and then you attributed this horrendous act to the Shah’s regime, this became a routine tactic of your regime to blame these unjustifiable odious crimes on your enemies.

It is clear that our intelligent service was proved ineffective and the weakness of our system permitted the terrorists to execute their evil plans. The 9/11 commission has published a, almost 600 pages document, detailing the results of their investigation. If you are interested in finding out more about those attacks ask your representatives in the US for a copy, unless of course you prefer to rely on the rumours nursed in local cafes all over the Middle East.

Mr. Ahmadinejad,

You probably expect the American tax payers to thank you for your concern regarding the excessive money spent on Iraq’s war but it is useful to remind you that there is almost nothing the President of the United States can do without the permission and approval of the US Congress and the Senate. As President, I am not allowed to spend even one cent from the country’s budget without it being approved and passed by the members of the parliament. Therefore, it is clear that what has been spent in Iraq has been approved by the representatives of American people.

However, can you the leaders of Islamic republic of Iran, claim to have done the same with your country’s budget? Can you explain to the Iranian people what has been done with the extra 24 billion dollars income in the last financial year (March 2005-March 2006) and clarify what happened to the hundreds of billion of dollars income from oil sales since your revolution? Have you built houses for homeless people, have you rescued nearly 10% of Iranians from drug addiction, have you created jobs, have you rebuilt the war zones, have you established any plans for the economical, industrial and agricultural developments of your country, have you replanted your forests destroyed in the last 27 years, have you improved sanitary conditions for your fellow countrymen? Have you rebuilt the ruins of “Roudbar” and “Bam”? Tell, what have you done?

In the last 27 years of your regime despite all your promises:

• Instead of prosperity, peace and security, you have delivered unemployment and insecurity to the Iranian people. The balconies of apartments in Tehran are barricaded to protect against all type of aggressions. A signs of the complete insecurity you havebrought to your people.
• Instead of restoring justice, you defended and enriched only yours.
• You have spread drugs among young people.
• You have pushed Iranian women to prostitution. Is this in accordance with the religious education you often preach?
• You have said much on oppressed and poor people’s rights and completely neglected them afterwards.
• You used the pretext of exporting your Islamic revolution as a way of export terrorism and fundamentalism.
• You have built atrocious prisons and filled them with freedom seekers, students, workers, journalists and innocents.
• You have tortured and killed and then promoted the killers, torturers. Even lawyers and attorneys of the victims have been imprisoned.
• You have lied over and over and expect us to believe that your nuclear program will never put the international community in danger.

Yes, Mr. Ahmadi Nejad, as you claim, "no government built on lies and cruelty has ever survived" and you and your regime will be judged by Iranian people.

May 12, 2006

George W. Bush
The President of the United States of America
White House
Washington D.C.
USA