What If?

[Chris Del Regno]

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran is due to visit the U.N. in New York next week. Much has been reported about the anger of various groups surrounding his visit, the restrictions placed upon his activities, etc. Question: When Ahmadinejad is here, what if we just "detain" him for as long as it takes for the current uprisings in his own country to have a chance to take hold, which could possibly lead to his government's demise, and a more moderate, tolerant government? Nothing formal or official, just lost documents necessary for his party to move about or leave the country, red tape and beaurocracy entangling and delaying efforts to address the problem, and forcing him and his group to remain inside a local hotel until the issues are worked out. Why not? "What they gonna do about it?" We could give his political opponents time to form a government without him!

[ZenDog]

I'm not an attorney, but I believe the issue of diplomatic immunity may come up. That in turn would bring into question whether we are a people who honor our international agreements. I think that if you can make a case indicating that he is a war criminal of some kind, that may alter things.

And as for What are they going to do about it?

He is just one guy. He is the face. That's all. There are more where he came from, and they have an entire nation of hostages. If we detain him it will just look like more American meddling in their internal affairs, something not just the current regime, but all Iranians may be susceptible to certain intolerance for because of our past history of meddling in that country in particular, the middle east as a whole, and, well, you know.

[cynthia Hunter]

As tempting as that might be, it would be the worse thing to do.
It endanger every american gere and abroard. Every extremist would be seeking revenage.
Nope I just don't see that as a very bright idea!

[James Worede]

I think this kind of actions will have the oposite effect (back fire). If it were to hapens, his popularity would be boosted in his country and around the muslim nations. If the opostions try to take advantage of the situation, they will be seen as foriegn agents and unpatriotics. Iranians have very pessimistic outlook towards the US, after what the US subistituted the legitimate government with "Shah". Furthermore, he (Ahmadinejad) is just a pupet, Khomeini and the Mullahshave the absolute athorities for internal and international affairs Iran. Another reality we should be aware of is the Iraqi government is pro Iran, so, If the sitations you presented set to happen, the recruiting will be conducted from the iraqi parlament, police stations and from every sector of the Iraqi shites communities. Their allignces is more to Iranian Government than to the US. So, there are many more reasons not to do that, not to mention the negative reactions from international communities. And this meeting will be the last one to be conducted from NY.
Instead, I would suggest to give a green lights for the Isrealies to knockout the nuclear production sites, and supporting them covertly logistically and any other means possible. After all, they are the one who would be endangered, if the Iranian government obtain nuclear bomb. The Isrealies are used to the condeminations of the UN. Moreover, the US has the "Golden Stick" - veto power, any meaningful or harmfull actions from the UN would be stopped.

[Just-a-Writer]

I think detaining him would work better with less direct approaches. Canceled flights, closing the airport for a bogus anthrax scare, and/or locking down his hotel to prevent a viral outbreak. I would think that as long as our government has been running slight of hand stunts, they could be much more creative than lost paperwork.

[Just-a-Writer]

I knew that about the Ayatollah, I guess I just got caught up in "slick ways of detaining somebody". lol

Ahmadinejad got me when he said there were no gays in Iran. Yeah, right...

[Chris Del Regno]

I like poetic justice. I was thinking about what could be done to delay (detain) Ahmadinejad in our country long enough for his opponents in his own country to take action, possibly overthrowing his regime. And I admit I was enjoying the thought of his inabilty to influence the timetable for ending his detention/delays. Poetic justice indeed. Although Iran is an Islamic state, the president is, as I understand it, the guy who decides and orders the army to take action, or the opposition to be put down through violence directed at political opponents, so I'm thinking there might be just enough doubt, confusion, misdirection created to enable his opposition to take hold. I can dream, right?? ;-)