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Subscribe to RSSIranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he wants to attend the 2012 Summer Olympics in London but that the U.K. has a problem with him, The Guardian of London reported.
“I would like to go,” Ahmadinejad told athletes at the Azadi sports complex in Tehran, according to the Guardian. “But unfortunately they have a problem with my presence. Otherwise I would have liked to have participated in the Olympics, and to have applauded our dear youth."
The British have not banned him from attending; rather, Iran’s state media said, Ahmadinejad may not want to be fingerprinted for a visa, viewing it as humiliating. In addition, the relationship between Iran and the U.K. has been fraught: Last year, the British closed Iran’s embassy in London, telling its staff to leave within 48 hours, according to Sky.com.
But unlike some other controversial leaders, the European Union has not banned him from traveling throughout Europe. Among those banned from traveling European Union countries, and therefore who won’t be allowed to attend the Games, according to the Guardian, are Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus. Assad and his wife were added to the EU travel ban in March, the BBC reported.
Ahmadinejad’s announcement may be welcome news to British officials facing pressure from human rights groups to ban certain leaders from the London Games, but other controversial heads of state say they’re coming regardless of their reputation. This creates what the Guardian calls a public relations headache for Prime Minister David Cameron.
The list of leaders planning to attend has not been released.
In total, 120 leaders have said they will attend the opening ceremony on July 27; 87 attended the Beijing Games in 2008.
Denis MacShane, a British Member of Parliament, suggested to the Guardian that perhaps actor Sasha Baron Cohen, known for his deadpan imitations of dictators, could stand in for them all. Baron Cohen “could wear a nice uniform, lots of medals, a beard, and carry on his private torture case," MacShane said.
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Screw Ahmadinejad and send him to hell.
Next.
Britain has every right not to let Ahmadinejad into their country. Any country has a right to deny any non-citizen entry. Especially one they do not like.
Now, is that nice?
Now, is that nice?
Before him the list should be headed by most dictatorial, corrupt, seventh century bigoted desert mindset Sunni Saudi ruler with his 5000 princes and princesses, Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League nations.
Geroge W. Bush should definitely be in that list.
Valiarius - Do not quit your day job.
can't imagine why...
as what??? (the possibilities for "fill in the blank" are endless here.)
and again, the possibilities for fill in the blank fun are never ending.
who cares what I'm a dinner jacket thinks.
Truth be told, the people of Iran don't want him there, either!
"The British have not banned him from attending; rather, Iran’s state media said, Ahmadinejad may not want to be fingerprinted for a visa, viewing it as humiliating."
Olympics is no big deal. There is more politics than real games!
Why Ahmadinejad, Assad or anybody should bother about what the UK thinks or acts.
If they have not banned the Saudi, UAE, Kuwaiti and other Sunni oil rich dictators, then Olympics is Politics!
In these hard days with turmoil all around, UK is not the right place to visit either!
These dictators, keep the radical muslims under control. Do not think for one instance, that if the dictators were to be removed, that a democracy would come. A radical theological state like Iran would take its place.
Neither is good, but the dictators are the better of the two Evils.
Let the b#$t%&d attend. Just require that he eat only pork and pork products during his entire stay. Also, make him shave and wear a neck tie for the openning ceremonies.
Or at least a jacket that is the right size. At least Saddam new how to dress and shave.
Well if they let him come he would be an easy target for the Masad. Thast would be nice :)
If he goes to track an field events they better check the judge with the starters gun.
i like the Sasha Baron Cohen idea
I first thought of Iran as a country that might cause a problem at the Olympics but if Iran is not planning on any hostage taking or any thing else and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is allowed to go. Then he should be welcomed to go to the Olympics. It actually sounds fun and a thrill to have him there at the moment. I’m not a big watcher of the Olympics but if its online, then I’ll watch some of it. Its suspenseful that something would happen and I kind of like it.
dinnerjacket how about instead , you go to the usual goat convention you attend around the same time each year .UK doesn't need you over there.
What and have all they lady goats fall for him? Then what would you do about a date. Oh yea. Sheep.
They say ignorance is bliss.
But doesn't ignorance require SOME intelligence?
Oh and here's a little clue for you. They don't want you either.
Why the fcuk would I want to go over there? . Go suck a box of dicks .
" ... they have a problem with my presence ... "
Well no, not actually. Their problem is not with your "presence". Their problem is with you. And they do not want YOU in their country at all.
And it's not really a problem. They just won't let you in. No Problem. And you see, that's one of the advantages of being a sovereign country. You get to decide who can and who can't come into your country.
And it may have a little something to do with your being radical religious fundamentalist. One who has declared jehad against the countries of the West. But hey, what's a little hate amongst enemies?
Well it is enough to not want your "presence" in their country.
If he does visit, what is the point of fingerprinting him - it's not like we don't know who he is.
So we can identify him if he gets blown to pieces by one of the thousands of Iranian suicide bombs floating around the Mid east.
Let him show up and then hopefuly he eats a bullet by some white radical American terrorist ( lol ) ! Maybe he can meet Navy Seal Team Six !!
White radical American Terrorist? Who would OWS be after Imanutjob?
Boo hoo hoo. Nobody wikes me.
Don't worry, be happy.
Though we are in opposite camps in cheer leading, I am with you!
Yeah. those are some tough sanctions. Come if you want Nutjob.
To bring down oil prices, remove sanctions on Iranian oil!!!
Half of economic worries will be over.
Meh. Let him come and just charge him and his entourage twice (or more) than everyone else.
'm quiet sure they already have his fingerprints from previous world travels, before he was a president.
mr, A madjahad knows that if terrorists bomb olympics he would rather stay home.
have madjahad or whatever his @!$%#ed up name is sit next to bunch of gay people and trannys and shemales during olympics since he hates them so much and kills any of his own citizen that is gay or tranny. and during the games they can flirt with him or give him so dong
The UK should allow "Amad-DinnerJacket" to attend the Olympics. However, the UK should arrest and jail the unwashed, bastard as a spy as soon as he gets off the plane. That's what he does to visitors to Iran.
ahmedinejad may not be a popular figure, but compared to nateyahu, he is a pleasant guest.
At least he is not a slimey liar
The difference between ahmedinejad and nate n yahu?
At least ahmed tells what he thinks.. he is not hiding anything. So you know who you are dealing with and what the problem is..
With nate yahu. nobody knows WTF this guy is thinking, whether he is enemy or friend. ..
So, most world nations would love to have ahmed as guest rather than nate...
BTW, nate cannot go to many countries, because he may be arrested for crimes against humanity... I think US is the only country he can visit w/out being arrested.