Franks Sends Letter Asking Clinton to Condemn Ahmadinejad Remarks

Statement

September 29, 2010 - In a letter released today, Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to publicly condemn recent remarks by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Franks asks that Clinton "deny a future visa to President Ahmadinejad until specific conditions are met by the Iranian government," also adding that, "President Ahmadinejad's belief that the United States was behind the attacks of September 11th and that 'the majority of the American people...agree with this view' should be immediately and firmly discredited."

Franks points out that, "Iran has announced that it is now enriching uranium to a level of 20%. This is four times the necessary enrichment level for peaceful energy generation purposes. They now have enough low-enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons, if enriched further," and that, "Iran refuses to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by answering vital questions about its nuclear program."

In light of the evidence, Franks says that, "President Ahmadinejad's words should be viewed as threats. He mocks the very foundation of legitimate democracies and freedom-loving nations," and urges Secretary of State Clinton to "publicly condemn the remarks of President Ahmadinejad relating to nuclear weapons, Israel's right to exist, and U.S. involvement in the September 11th attacks," and to, "prohibit President Ahmadinejad's entrance into the United States in the future."

The full text of the letter is included below.


September 28, 2010


The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Clinton:

I encourage you to condemn the remarks made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, September 23rd. I further ask you to deny a future visa to President Ahmadinejad until specific conditions are met by the Iranian government.

President Ahmadinejad's belief that the United States was behind the attacks of September 11th and that "the majority of the American people…agree with this view" should be immediately and firmly discredited. The allegation that American involvement was due to our declining influence in the Middle East and in order to "save the Zionist regime" were merely meant to propagate conspiracy theories and insult our values in front of the world -- a world that is also watching, and waiting for, our reaction to the attention-grabbing speech. Such serious accusations should not fall upon deaf ears, nor be greeted without a serious and stern response from the United States.

It is especially important to condemn these aggressive and provocative remarks when peace talks between President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu are taking place. In that vein, I applaud the response of the United States' delegation, along with the delegations of over 30 other countries, at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday. Their walk-out of the meeting was a symbol of the unwillingness to allow such false and hate-driven speech, especially within our nation's own borders.

During his remarks, President Ahmadinejad made the assertion that the United Nations has "equated nuclear energy with the nuclear bomb." We have been forced to do so because Iran has announced that it is now enriching uranium to a level of 20%. This is four times the necessary enrichment level for peaceful energy generation purposes. They now have enough low-enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons if enriched further. They are also experimenting with polonium which has one purpose, triggering a nuclear explosion.

Iran refuses to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by answering vital questions about its nuclear program. We simply cannot trust the President's words that Iran is purely advancing a peaceful energy program.

President Ahmadinejad's words should be viewed as threats. He mocks the very foundation of legitimate democracies and freedom-loving nations, and falsely asserts that we are all criminals in the international community by labeling us as occupiers, when in fact, we are attempting to bring stability and security to unstable parts of the world. Madam Secretary, for all these reasons above, I ask you to publicly condemn the remarks of President Ahmadinejad relating to nuclear weapons, Israel's right to exist, and U.S. involvement in the September 11th attacks.

Additionally, I ask you to prohibit President Ahmadinejad's entrance into the United States in the future. His entrance into the U.S. shows the world that we are not serious about stopping Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon and gives him a larger stage from which to spout his hateful rhetoric. He is a vocal supporter of terrorism and funds enemy combatants to kill our troops abroad, making him a supporter of insurgency against citizens of the United States. Furthermore, his funding of Hamas and Hezbollah leads to Israeli and other civilian and military deaths worldwide.

Until Iran agrees to fully open its nuclear facilities to the IAEA and halt any production of nuclear material at secret facilities, Iran presents a serious threat to the security and well-being of our nation and our allies. To allow his entrance into this country gives him legitimacy and implies that we are still willing to negotiate with him as a reasonable partner.

Thank you for your timely consideration of these matters. We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Trent Franks
Member of Congress

Congressman Franks is serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and is a member of the Committee on Armed Services, Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee, Military Readiness Subcommittee, Committee on the Judiciary, Constitution Subcommittee, and is Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.

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