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"The devil came here yesterday," Chavez said, referring to Bush, who addressed the world body during its annual meeting Tuesday. "And it smells of sulfur still today."

Chavez accused Bush of having spoken "as if he owned the world" and said a psychiatrist could be called to analyze the statement. (Watch Hugo Chavez cross himself as he tells world leaders he can smell the devil -- 1:06)

"As the spokesman of imperialism, he came to share his nostrums to try to preserve the current pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples of the world. An Alfred Hitchcock movie could use it as a scenario. I would even propose a title: 'The Devil's Recipe.' "

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"The world has enough for all, but it turned out that some minorities, descendants of those who crucified Christ, descendants of those who threw Bolivar out of here and also crucified him in their own way in Santa Marta, there in Colombia. A minority took the world's riches for themselves," Chavez said, according to a transcript of the Dec. 24 speech. Simon Bolivar led the 19th century fight to liberate Venezuela and some other Latin nations from Spanish rule.

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Originally posted by HalfMooner

Aren't you glad Chavez didn't give one of his anti-Semitic speeches at the UN

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Originally posted by Gorgo

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2805

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Ahmadinejad's Holocaust remarks were a challenge to those who use the Nazi's attempt to systematically exterminate European Jews as justification for displacing Palestinian Arabs to found a Jewish state. What he said about the Holocaust amounted to this:

“Either it took place or it didn't. If it didn't take place, then it is a fabrication. If it did, it wasn't the Arabs who did it; it was the Europeans. Why then should the Palestinians pay the price of what the Europeans did against the Jews?” (Musayeb Naimi, editor of Al Wefaq, New York Times, December 20, 2005)

That, by the way, is a question those who express high moral dudgeon over the Iranian president's comments, have steered clear of. Instead, they've latched onto his questioning of the Holocaust, even as a hypothetical, as the mark of a half-crazed Jew-hater.

Ahmadinejad's remarks:

“If you committed this big crime, then why should the oppressed Palestinian nation pay? This is our proposal: If you committed the crime, then give part of your land in Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to them so that the Jews can establish their own country.” (New York Times, December 15, 2005)

“Why do you want to force Israel on the holy land of Palestine by killing Muslims? Give a piece of your land in Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska so the Jews can create their own state.” (Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2005)

“Is the killing of innocent Jewish people by Hitler, the reason for their (the Europeans') support to the occupiers of Jerusalem? … If the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe – like in Germany, Austria or other countries – to the Zionists, and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe. You offer part of Europe, and we will support it.” (Washington Post, December 9, 2005)

To this, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's spokesman, Raanan Gissin, replied: “Just to remind Mr. Ahmadinejad, we've been here long before his ancestors were here. Therefore, we have a birthright to be here in the land of our forefathers and to live here.” (Washington Post, December 9, 2005) Who's the religious fanatic?

Ahmadinejad's assertion that Israel must be wiped from the face of the map (by which he meant the idea of Israel as a Jewish homeland, founded on expulsion of Palestinians) has, predictably, been deliberately misinterpreted as a call for a second Holocaust, this serving the necessary pro-war propaganda function of painting Ahmadinejad as beyond the pale – a new Hitler whose country must be contained, crushed and subordinated, like the countries of all the other propaganda program-fabricated monsters the US and its janissaries have argued they needed to take out.

[and later]

Ahmadinejad's explanation of what he meant by “wiping Israel of the face of the map” is a far cry from what Bolton, and others, angling for intervention in Iran, would have you believe. “The only logical solution to solve the Palestinian issues, explained Ahmadinejad, “is to hold free elections with the participation of Palestinians inside and outside the occupied territories and in recognition of a nation's legitimacy.” (RNA, cited in Workers World, November 6, 2005). Ahmadinejad later noted that “they (Bolton and others) created a lot of hue and cry over that,” adding, “It is clear what we say: Let the Palestinians participate in free elections and they will say what they want.” (New York Times, January 15, 2006) This isn't the half-crazed ranting of a violently anti-Semitic leader; it's a call for justice.

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Originally posted by Gorgo

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Originally posted by HalfMooner

Aren't you glad Chavez didn't give one of his anti-Semitic speeches at the UN

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http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2805

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Originally posted by Gorgo

Maybe poor words, and maybe a different language and culture.

What's been done with Ahmadinejad's words is interesting too. What he actually said was that he didn't know what happened (which is not a good thing as I think he does doubt the severity of the crimes against the Jews), but that whatever happened was the fault of Europeans, and not Arabs. Why should the Arabs be punished, he is saying, (that is, the Palestinian Arabs) for European crimes? He has clarified this and been ignored.

Most of what's being said in the media about both of them is just jingoist propaganda.

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Originally posted by Original_Intent

I don't think Chavez is anything other then your typical shot-man syndrome wannabe. Calling Bush the devil was absolutly great for Bush. All the majority of Americans saw was a a quick clip of the comments and of the (mostly) Democrats runnung to defend Bush. Being typical, there brain made one leap. Bush good, Chavez bad.

Iran, that's another story. If you don't think Iran wants Israel destroyed, wake up. Ahmadenajad is a good little Muslim conquerer.

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