Ahmadinejad: Christmas Message to "Bullying Powers"

It is no secret as to how Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad feels toward the West - and with a broadcast to be shown in Britain, he spreads a Christmas message that is sure to raise an outrage by some.

In what is being described as a “controversial counterpoint to Queen Elizabeth II's traditional annual message,” Ahmadinejad will deliver a seasonal greeting on Britain's Channel 4.

The Associated Press reports that:

In his recorded message, Ahmadinejad offers seasonal greetings to Christians and says he believes that if Jesus were alive, he would “stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers,” an apparent reference to the United States and its allies.

According to Ahmadinejad in a pre-released transcript of the broadcast, is quoted as saying:

“If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over.”

Ron Prosor, Israeli ambassador to London, offers that

“(Channel 4) should give an unchallenged platform to the president of a regime which denies the Holocaust, advocates the destruction of the sovereign state of Israel, funds and encourages terrorism, executes children and hangs gay people is a disgrace.”

He also goes on record saying:

"Outrage doesn't begin to explain it."

This certainly offers a differing view against Ahmadinejad, and one that paints him as a “warmonger, occupier, terrorist and bully.”

President Ahmadinejad's message is being broadcast to “offer (the) viewers an insight into an alternative world view,” according to Dorothy Byrne, who is the head of news and current affairs at Britain's Channel 4.

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