Paris, 14 Sept. (IPS) Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i said on Friday that the American President George W. Bush must be tried in an independent international court for the “miseries” he brought to Iraq and the Iraqi people.
Speaking during the Friday prier of the fasting Muslim month of Ramazan, Ayatollah Khameneh’i told thousands of worshippers, the majority of them bussed by the authorities to the campus for the occasion: “I’m sure that one day will come when the American President will be tried in an international court for the crimes he committed against the Iraqi people, as there was a day for Hitler and a day for Saddam and days for other European leaders”.
This was Mr. Khameneh’i most daring attack on the United States, targeting directly the person of Mr. W. Bush.
“The Americans must answer why they occupied Iraq? They must answer why they are still occupying this country? They must answer why this wave, this typhoon of insecurity and terrorism has invaded Iraq? Who brought terrorism to Iraq and imposed it on the Iraqi people? They must say why 50 per cent of the population of this rich country is unemployed? Why there are no public services? Do not people need hospitals? Which hospital the Americans have build, or even repaired? Did they repair one single drinking water pipe? All these and many other questions need answer. The Americans have no answer. For some days, they will continue indifference, but things will not remain the same. One day, they will have to answer, the American leader will be put on trial, same as it was for Hitler and same it happened to Saddam and some European leaders”, Mr. Khameneh’i said with assurance.
I’m sure that one day will come when the American President will be tried in an international court for the crimes he committed against the Iraqi people,
Khameneh’i was putting on the mantle of ardent protector of the Iraqi people and Government at exactly the same time that in Washington, the White House was criticising Mr. Nouri al Maleki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, a Shi’a Muslin who lived for some months in Iran before taking refuge in Syria under the ruthless rule of Saddam Hoseyn, for not being able to satisfy the criteria fixed by the US Administration to achieve a stable and unified nation. “Political progress at the national level has still been disappointing”, said the White House's latest assessment of Iraq.
Responding to the daily accusations raised by Washington against Tehran concerning Iraq, allegations that Iran is seeking nuclear technology for making nuclear weapons, pressing for new sanctions and sponsoring terrorism, Ayatollah Khameneh’i said it was America that brought terrorism to Iraq and to the region.
“No sanctions will ever be more stringent that one we suffered during the Iran – Iraq imposed War and what was the result: The emergence of Iran as a strong nation, in every field, militarily and in technologies”, he said, observing that “all of America’s plans to turn the Middle East into an American and Israeli vassal have failed miserably”.
“Today, look at the map of a region the Americans wanted to craft it to their desire: In Iraq, they have failed and are looking desperately for a way to get out of it; in Palestine, they have failed; in Lebanon, they and their Israeli ally have failed. On the other hand, they wanted to weaken the Islamic Republic of Iran and what they have got? That we are the region’s strongest nation. We achieved the nuclear technology yourself for civilian benefits, for the people, not for making bomb. Our armed forces are stronger than ever before. All these great achievements obtained thanks to the sanctions”, a jovial Khameneh’i told the crowd.
He hailed the “victory of Palestinian popular Government of Hamas” and the “humiliating, unbelievable defeat of the Israeli army at the hands of the Lebanese Hezbollah Organisation as “unmistakable proofs” to the failure of America’s plans for the Middle East”.
“Defeated everywhere, hated by the Muslims public opinion and impeached by the international public opinion, America is accusing and blaming Iran for its defeats”, Mr. Khameneh’i observed, adding: “America is defeated everywhere. For several years, they did everything to turn the Middle East a place for Israel and against Iran. What we have today is that they have lost the Middle East and Iran has become stronger”. ENDS BUSH TRIAL 14907
