American journalists and Ahmadinajad, just get a room already!

In case you were ignorant of the fact that the employees of American newspapers are, gushing in their knickers, Beatle style fans of President Ahmadinajad, read this article from the San Francisco Chronicle staff reporter Matthew Stannard. He excoriates Tony Blair while calling up all manner of "experts," with Persian names mind you, who are all too willing to testify in the usual manner, that Iran clearly won the battle of wills and wits in the recent British hostage situation. Iran comes out smelling like a rose according to the article. It's pretty typical of Muslims to claim an abject defeat is a victory, because they are always concerned about not losing face, but this was neither a victory nor a defeat for either side . It was an exercise in futility. The American press is so on the side of Muslims, any Muslims, except for moderate Muslims, that is, that it can see only the good in them. It has started to believe that Muslims can do no wrong, or always have a free pass to do wrong. Or a really great reason to do wrong.

Hmm, let's see. Iran took hostages and paraded them on television, forced the female hostage to cover her sinful head, yada yada. The claim of ill treatment on the part of the British hostages was given little attention by the press. It harkened back to the spectacle of Saddam Hussein publicly stroking a terrified little boy he was holding hostage in the start up to the war in Iraq. This incident made the Iranian people look primitve and goofy. Ahmadinajad seems prone to grandstanding and seems to have little understanding of how people behave in a modern world.

The left leaning American press is only too accepting of the kidnapping of Westerners by a religious fundamentalist, woman hating torturer as a cute, funny little incident or a resonable political manuver. If these journalists love Ahmadinajad so much they should go work in Iran in his propaganda department. One hopes they don't overcome their delusions about him and become critical of him, because they might end up in an Iranian jail.

These constant displays of slavish public affection toward the Iranian President are making me feel all squirmy inside. I am of a generation that is uncomfortable witnessing public groping, which is why I rarely visit San Francisco any more. I have said it before and I will say it again, it is a third world dictator's duty to act crazy and be charming. These men fit an archetype.

There is no relationship between how well liked a leader may be and his actual worth as a leader or a human being. Great leaders, like great artists and great musicians are often very unpopular amongst their contemporaries. Lincoln was so despised, well, they killed him. Churchill was voted out of office in a brutal way. You all might remember that when you are raking George Bush over the coals. The now despised leaders Bush is often compared to, were once adored and loved by millions of people.