Liveblogging with Ahmadinejad at Columbia U. Part 3.

Q and A:

Update 1:

First question is about Israel, and whether Ahmadinejad seeks to destroy it. Ahmadinejad said Israel has the right to self-determination.

Update2:

Coatsworth tells Ahmadinejad he didn’t really answer the question and tells him he needs a one word answer to the question “do you seek the destruction of Israel” Ahmadinejad refuses to give an answer, instead going back to the argument that we need an international solution to Palestine.

Update3:

Second question:

“Why is your government providing aid to terrorists?”

Ahmadinejad responds with a question of his own, asking how we would respond if someone blew up the White House. He goes on to say the Iranian nation is a victim of terrorism itself. He sites terrorist actions in Iran and then says the United States government is funding terrorism in Iran.

” We were the first nation to speak out against terrorism … we need to address the root causes of terrorism.
We live in the Middle East. It’s clear to use which nations … support terrorism.”
Iran, he said “is a cultured nation. We don’t need to resort to terrorism.”

Update4:

“For many, a challenge of the facts represents a denial of the facts themselves,” Coatsworth said. Before asking the President again to explain his thoughts on the denial of the Holocaust.

Ahmadinejad responds: “There’s been more research on physcis then there’s been on the Holocaust but yet we keep researching physics.”

Update5:

Four question.

Why do you deny rights to women and gays?

Ahmadinejad said women in Iran enjoy the highest levels of freedom, which generated an audible scoff from the audience, citing the female cabinet members. He then moves on to explaining his policy on executions.

“Don’t you have capital punishment in the United States? You do too,” he said, which garnered limited applause.

Update6:

“In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals like you have in your country … I don’t know who’s told you we have it.”
The audience is responding with boos and laughs.

Update7:

What did you hope to accomplish by visiting Columbia today an what would you have said if I visited the site of September 11?

Ahmadinejad said he wanted to show sympathy to the victims. “This is my way of showing my respect ..thinking like this how do you expect to manage the world and world affairs?” He wants to show respect for everyone and allow all nations to grow in piece. “In Iran, when you invite a guest, you respect him.”

Update8:

Fifth question:

This one is on the nuclear program. Ahmadinejad said the program operates under the rule of law and is for peace only. Iran’s issue, he said, is political, not legal.
“There are two or three powers who think they have the right to occupy all knowledge,” he said.

Update9:

Final question:

This is about the United States and Iranian relations. The question is whether Iran will negotiate with the United States.

Ahmadinejad said: sure. They won’t negoatiate with Apartheid South Africa or the Zionist nation, but is totally up to speaking with anyone else. “We don’t need threats. We don’t need to point bombs,” he said.

He said he questions “the way the world is being run today.” But he is willing to negotiate with mutual respect. “We want to talk,” he said.
The US government is facing vitriol now for preventing Iran from developing.

Update10:

On the invitation: we’ll give you a platform and respect you 100 percent. Our students will speak and sit with you.

Finally, he thanks Columbia University: “I hear many politicians in the United States are trained at Columbia University” gets a laugh.
With one final prayer and a best of luck, the speech is over.

Update11:

Coatsworth final statement:

“I’m sorry that the President’s limited time here prevents him from answering all the qustions you had for him or even some of the final ones we posed to him.”
With some muted applause and only a handful of boos. The event is over.

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/ahmadinejad/