Iran Video: "His Excellency" Ahmadinejad Interviewed by George Galloway (15 August)

Have to say this is not one of the toughest interviews of a politician I have ever witnessed. George Galloway, a former member of the British Parliament now working for Press TV, speaks with "His Excellency" (Galloway's label, not mine) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:

Part 1 of 2

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHZ8iZusBnk&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Part 2 of 2

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2SHIEeVLso&feature=related[/youtube]

(hat tip to Azarmehr)

Comments

[Catherine]

I feel so embarassed about my ignorance! I only know George Galloway from his Viva Palestina! campaign (close friends of my mother participated in this and blogged from Egypt) and I believe more recently I saw him make statements to various international media about the attack on the Mavi Marmara. So I had a little look at the Wikipedia entry on him and his own website. All I can say is what a shame he lets his opposition to the wars and policies of certain western governments and Israel blind him to the crimes perpetrated by ME dictators at home and abroad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Galloway" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Galloway

[Ange-Paris]

Catherine
RE" He is also known for a speech he gave before the President of Iraq Saddam Hussein, in which he appeared to praise the dictator"...
He 's so "a--e licker " and now he's praising AN; Saddam is not among us, perhaps, as soon as, AN would have the same destiny; a chance for us, he was interviewed by him ! we were given the starting signal :-)

[Catherine]

"He is also known for a speech he gave before the President of Iraq Saddam Hussein, in which he appeared to praise the dictator"...

So I saw. And calling AN "Your excellency"! (*puts finger in mouth*)

[Catherine]

"They are also quick to jump onto any bandwagon that stands up against
the West, without caring about the consequences (e.g. George Galloway)"

Pak,
I honestly had a very different opinion of Galloway up until this
morning because of the Viva Palestina! campaign. Serves me right for
never having looked up any info on him. What you say reminds me of all
the left-wing western supporters of the Soviet Union back in the day
(those in Europe called themselves "Euro-communists") who pretended that
as long as they denounced Stalin there was nothing wrong with supporting
the USSR in the interests of supporting Socialism in general without
noticing the country's current repressive, totalitarian policies.

[Kurt]

Yes Pak, there is much confusion on the left, which makes me question their depth. It gets reduced down to the lazy syllogism of: support for Palestine good, ergo, anyone who supports it, also good."

To the rest of it.

George Galloway caused waves in the US when he testified in Congress in 2005. Anglophile I am, I was not surprised, like my fellow Americans were. He was a breath of fresh air in regard to raising issues the news media was still keeping at arm's length over regarding the invasion of Iraq. Nevertheless, he is profoundly inconsistent and over-the-top, to say the least (in the latter he and Ahmadi share a personality trait).

Check out how he glosses over and pivots on a legitimate point here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emk80fUzQKc" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emk80fUzQKc

How does he know the question posed was from an Israel apologist? How does he reconcile legitimately anti-Semitic members of AN's policy circle (I'm going off of Hooman Majd's book here, correct me if you wish)?

As a Scot, moreover, as a Catholic Scot, I'd like to know how he doesn't see his own people's situation in Iran with minorities? As a supporter of LGBT causes, how can he carry water for Ahmadinejad?

If Galloway has any principles, they suffer from schizophrenia or multiple personalities. I only wish I could, like Labour, kick him to the curb. He jumped the shark a long time ago.

Doing this show for Press TV is the equivalent of an 80's glam arena band being reduced to small county fairs and dive bars twenty-five years later. He's a Hasbeenistani as far as I'm concerned. But to paraphrase Alphaville, at least he's "Big in Iran."

[ScottLucas11]

Kurt,

Can't let this go --- I am beaming with pride that EA now has an Alphaville reference....

S.

[Ardeshir]

The so called 'attack' that Galloway refers to in the House of Commons was nothing more than two supporters of the Green Movement asking him a question and exposing his hypocrisy.

http://azarmehr.blogspot.com/2010/03/galloway-begged-police-to-detain-us.html" rel="nofollow">http://azarmehr.blogspot.com/2010/03/galloway-b...

He claims he has special police protection after this, if true what a waste of public fund at this time of austerity.

[Guest]

Mr Galloway is either fooling everyone or is a fool himself. His black shirt is the ultimate ... licking. He has no respect for the human rights of the Iranians in prisons who are systematically raped and tortured. Shame on him. Iran is killing Christian converts in Iran and this fellow is simply justifying Iranian despotism.

[Miz Pah]

Watching George Galloway in action made me so angry - especially his glib comment about needing police protection from the Iranian opposition, but then this is the same man who said:

"Sir, I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability," to Saddam Hussein! (He also referred to Uddy Hussein as "your excellence" so his judgement has always been suspect)

Perhaps this video will let you see the high standing of George Galloway:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9dwOI3ymzA&feature=fvw" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9dwOI3ymzA&feat...

[Ange-Paris]

Thank you Miz Pah for your link; as we say in persian, "divaneh cho divaneh bebinad khoshash ayad !"