Circus Maximus

12 May 2009

The week of April 20th presented us with a spectacle within a spectacle – the world was treated to the antics of the president of Iran at a farce of a UN conference that was supposed to inspire the nations of the world to combat, or at least confront, the scourge of racism. At center stage, given pride of place as the first speaker, was Ahmedinejad of Iran, who spewed forth that which should be unspeakable in the international forum that was founded to protect human rights. His vitriol consisted of the most anti-Semitic and racist vilification of Israel, the Jewish people, the United States, and the West, that one might ever be forced to hear. Ahmedinejad did not get exactly what he wanted out of the Durban Review Conference in Geneva, which was to dominate, win approval and sweep the agenda, but did he get much attention and the open embrace of the Swiss president. His entourage commandeered at least forty rooms in a nice hotel, 400 members of the Iranian community already in Geneva, and the obsequious courtesy of the Swiss government‘s exaggeratedly large police motorcade and security retinue. What else did he accomplish? The slander of Israel and call for her destruction, and the denial of the Holocaust. In return for this base behavior, he demanded the respect of the community of nations by insisting on a seat on the Security Council and calling for an end to the veto power of the “Perm Five”. Geneva is in Switzerland, a likely base from which to explore your financial situation and where the secret money is safe. Ahmedinejad ‘s meeting there with his men while playing to his home audience from the world stage and basking in the arms of the Swiss president was a sure way to try and guarantee his re-election as Lunatic-in–Chief of Iran.

Durban II was a fiasco for the UN and a disgrace for those who tried to participate as Ahmedinejad embarrassed them all. That no other heads of state lowered themselves to the level of being tainted with the shame of that conference and sharing that same platform speaks volumes. Clown costumes were the order of the day, and it seems that no one else wanted a pie in the face.

The efforts of the Swiss to spin their warm welcome to the world’s racist and bully were as dismaying as they were disingenuous. Their excuse that they represent US interests in Iran and were acting following the US calls for dialogue convinced no one and was met with the protests of many, including Israel, who recalled its ambassador. The Swiss Foreign Minister said that the meeting took place because Switzerland serves as the United States’ communications channel, whereupon the United States flatly denied any connection whatsoever to this pathetic episode. Calls were heard for the United States to no longer have Switzerland as its interest address for Iran.

Much more interesting was the reaction in the Arab world. The Saudi press mocked Ahmendinejad. Iranian rivals for the presidency spoke publicly about the Holocaust as a reality and repudiated its denial. Some Arab states left only lower echelon representatives in the great hall as Ahmedinejad ranted on.

The show is over but the real damage multiplies as the centrifuges continue to whirl and Iran continues to provoke trouble in the Middle East. Tensions escalate between Fatah and Hamas, fueled by Iran. Egypt erupted in anger at the increasing spread of Hezbollah and its planned attacks on Egyptian and other targets, explicitly condemning Iran and naming its allies Qatar and Syria. It blamed Iran for setting up additional means for smuggling weapons, with 160 operational tunnels that support terror and undermine the Egyptian government. Iran continues to pour money into Hezbollah, and into Hamas, which is preparing a new infrastructure to replace Meshaal’s Damascus center while introducing representation from the West Bank. This can only escalate the rivalry with Fatah. Look at the recent results of student elections at the Bir Zeit University which are usually a bellwether for the future – Hamas came within two votes of Fatah, a big setback that sends very serious signals to the Palestinian Authority. And as the Arab world, including the Saudis, continues to insist on predicating progress on Iran with that of the peace process, Iranian troublemaking looms large. Iran is making war on Israel. Lunatic or not, we take the dictator at his word.

This essay first appeared in Iran Update