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Understanding Ahmadinejad's Letter to Bush

(New York Post) Amir Taheri - In Tehran, the Persian text of Ahmadinejad's letter to Bush has become a favorite topic at dinner table conversations and is often the source of much mirth because of its flowery style, its numerous spelling and grammatical errors and, above all, the insight it offers into the mind of a man who clearly sees himself as an agent of the Hidden Imam in hastening the end of the "Infidel" domination of the world. Ahmadinejad's move fits into a 14-century-long Muslim tradition, initiated by the Prophet Muhammad himself, of writing letters to "the rulers of the world." In 625 AD, he dictated letters to the Persian king, Emperor Heraclius of Byzantium, and the Ethiopian monarch Negus. To each, the prophet's offer was simple: Convert to Islam or face its sword. Rather than ignoring Ahmadinejad's letter, President Bush should reply to him by inviting him to abandon Khomeinism and convert to liberal democracy.
2006-04-15 00:00:00
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