With the spotlight on the push by the Palestinian Authority to seek full statehood at the United Nations, it’s easy to overlook something else that’s playing out at the U.N. involving one of the world’s most dangerous dictators.
 
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took center stage today at the United Nations General Assembly for the seventh time, continuing with his anti-American, anti-Semitic rhetoric.
 
In the run-up to the speech, he had no shortage of criticism for Israel and the United States, telling the president of Lebanon that “resistance” is the only way forward in achieving victory against what he called “arrogant powers.”

At the General Assembly today, his vitriolic remarks once again were pointed directly at the United States, calling the 9/11 attacks “mysterious” and said the United States and its allies “view Zionism as a sacred notion and ideology.” He said that the U.S. used the 9/11 attacks as a pretext for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
His address before the General Assembly triggered a massive walkout of diplomats, led by representatives of the United States, which correctly called his remarks “despicable.” More than a dozen diplomats from other countries, including France, followed suit shortly after Ahmadinejad began launching another tirade against America.

“Mr. Ahmadinejad had a chance to address his own people’s aspirations for freedom and dignity, but instead he again turned to abhorrent anti-Semitic slurs and despicable conspiracy theories,” said Mark Kornblau, a spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.

Ahmadinejad’s disdain for Israel continues to reach new heights. Not long ago, he said called Israel a “tumor” that should be “wiped off the map.” And, just recently said there will be no room for Israel once a Palestinian state is created. Ahmadinejad has denied the Holocaust in the past and today claimed the Holocaust has been used as a decades-old “excuse” for subservience to “Zionist” interests. 

In addition to his rants, there is a real concern about his military endeavors. Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu is right to be concerned about Iran developing nuclear weapons, a move that would be a real game changer in the Middle East.

On the anniversary marking the tragic terror attacks of 9/11 in America, Netanyahu once again stated that Iran’s nuclear program must be stopped. Netanyahu said the “the possibility that the world’s most dangerous weapons will fall into the hands of the world’s most dangerous regimes is too real.”
 
And, days later, this call from the Israeli government urging more members of the international community to implement harsh economic sanctions against Iran to stop their weapons programs.  Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told a reporter that taking aim at Iran’s central bank and its oil industry could “stop these crazy guys with their nuclear ambitions.”
 
Yes, there’s much to be concerned about in the Middle East. Right now, though, the flawed and dangerous attempt by the terrorist-led Palestinian Authority to aggressively push for statehood at the U.N. is front and center.
 
But, let’s not take our eye off of Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will do all that he can to exploit the uncertainty and danger that already exists in the region.

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