Iran and common sense

In a recent editorial, titled Iran vs. common sense, Iran's President's remark suggesting that "Israel be wiped off the map" was called a slip of the tongue and an "impulsive, bad- timed mis-remark". At the same time, it was also suggested that this President simply says what "we" think. So how can both be true?

Is it not important to say what you mean and also mean what you say? And if Ahmadinejad is doing just that, then at least we should praise his honesty and openness. Or are you suggesting that he is an Israeli agent put there to embarrass Iran and the cause?

Let us also be honest. Rightly or wrongly, the vision that Israel should not exist -- either by actively working to destroy it or passively by not recognizing its existence -- has been the policy of many Arab and Muslim nations since the very beginning of the state of Israel. Even before that, for example in 1937, several Arab powers and what was then called "the Muslims of British India" resisted a much smaller sovereign Jewish state suggested by the Peel committee for the partition of British Palestine (which consisted largely of present day Israel and Jordan).

Soon after Israel's declaration of independence, recognized by the UN, several Arab states tried to destroy Israel. Ironically, it is some of these states lying close to Israel, which have been at war with Israel, that eventually made peace and have relations with it, while far away places appear to have chosen a less pragmatic emotional and idealistic approach.

Are Iran and similarly thinking people going to put their policy into practice, or are they just boasting? If they are plotting to destroy Israel, then can we still complain if Israel aggressively tries to defend itself? Or if other countries try to prevent Iran from attaining the means to destroy Israel, fearing that this would lead to a nuclear holocaust?

I agree that indeed common sense and a pragmatic rational approach, instead of a fanatic dogmatic one, would bring us closer to seeing the existence of a thriving Palestinian state and countries like Iran, Israel and Indonesia living in peace and respecting each other.

MARK BEAUMONT Homestead, Fl, U.S.