Wyoming senators want Ahmadinejad banned from entering U.S.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

By Jake Nichols

Jackson Hole, Wyoming - Senator John Barrasso busied his pen recently, authoring two letters proposing Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad be denied entry to the United States for the assembly of the United Nations. The 56-year-old Republican senator from Wyoming wrote a letter, co-signed by 11 other U.S. senators, to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, asking her to exercise her authority to deny the Iranian president’s request for a visa to enter the U.S.

Ahmadinejad will represent Iran at the 63rd session of the U.N. which convened on Sept. 16 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

Barrasso’s letter to Rice, dated not-so-insignificantly Sept. 11, states that he and “the undersigned” felt it was “unfortunate that the United Nations allows Iran to participate in the General Assembly” considering Ahmadinejad is a clear adversary of the U.S. and leader of a nation that continues to support terrorist activities. Barrasso also reminded Rice of Iran’s threatening attitude toward “our close ally, Israel,” claiming Ahmadinejad recently called Israel a “germ of corruption” that will be “removed soon.”

Barrasso, who was tapped by Governor Dave Freudenthal to finish the term of the late Senator Craig Thomas, said the inspiration for his petition came from a series of meetings sponsored by American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) held in Jackson Hole. “The idea was first raised at a meeting with Jewish and Christian community leaders at St Johns Episcopalian Church in Jackson,” the senator said.

Sen. Barrasso followed up the letter to the secretary of state with an Op-ed piece for the Washington Times dated Sept. 14. In that correspondence, he restated his desire to see Ahmadinejad denied a visa to enter the U.S. for the General Assembly of the UN. He called Ahmadinejad a “hatemonger” and accused the Iranian leader of making “bellicose threats to the U.S. and Israel.”

In both the letter and the Op-Ed, Barrasso pointed out such a denial of visa to a perceived enemy of the United States was not without precedent. He alluded to the Reagan Administration’s denial of visa for Palestine Liberation Organization leader, Yasser Arafat, when he attempted to participate in the U.N. General Assembly in 1988. The move, however, was not without controversy.

1988 decision blows up
Secretary of State George Shultz rejected PLO chairman Arafat’s request for a visa on Nov. 26, 1988, citing the PLO's continued involvement in terrorism against Americans. According to former CIA analyst Kathleen Christison, Shultz’s decision was made without the approval or consent of the president and was a violation of the Headquarters Agreement of 1947. The agreement allows special protections for all world leaders so they may attend UN meetings on U.S. soil.

Still, 68 senators backed Shultz’s decision then, signing a letter applauding his efforts. International opposition to the decision was intense, and, on Nov. 29, 1988, the General Assembly expressed its own distaste for Shultz’s stand by voting 121 to 2 (United States and Israel voting against) to urge the United States to reverse its denial of the visa.

Shultz stuck by his decision forcing the General Assembly to take dramatic measures. On Dec. 2, the U.N. made the unprecedented decision to move its regular session to Geneva, Switzerland, so Arafat’s message could be heard. It was the first time in the U.N.’s history that the General Assembly moved its session outside of New York. The vote was 154-2-1, with the U.S. and Israel against and Britain abstaining.

Further insult to Shultz and the U.S. came on Dec. 13, when Arafat appeared before the General Assembly in Geneva and made a dramatic gesture for peace. In his 80-minute speech he condemned terrorism “in all its forms” and sought a settlement among “Palestine, Israel and other neighbors,” according to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.

Denial of visa unlikely?
For Rice to deny a visa to Ahmadinejad, she would likely need to invoke section 212(a)3(b) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, which stipulates that individuals with terrorist ties not be granted visas to enter the United States. Whether the Iranian leader fits the profile or deserves immunity protection under the U.N. Headquarters Agreement is unclear.

Sen. Barrasso stated in his Op-ed piece that he is appealing to Rice as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As of press time, it could not be confirmed that Barrasso’s actions were supported or sanctioned by that committee. Only one other senator on the committee, George Voinovich-OH, was among the 11 co-signers of the letter to Rice. Calls to the committee chair, Sen. Joe Biden, were not returned.

At best, Sen. Barrasso, along with co-signer Sen. Michael Enzi-WY, has made a bold plea and may have succeeded temporarily in putting both he and the state of Wyoming on the international political radar. During an election season, with both Sens. Barrasso and Enzi seeking election, the gambit could be considered by some to have a campaign-minded motive.

“I signed the letter … because it is a way to send a message of opposition to states who sponsor terrorism,” Sen. Enzi told the Planet. “I do not support unilateral sanctions on countries, like many congressional members do, and this letter was a way to bring to light that Iranian President Ahmadinejad and his country promote policies that go against many core beliefs of the United Nations.”

Ahmadinejad is scheduled to address the assembly on Sept. 23. Iran’s Fars news agency is reporting that Ahmadinejad and delegations members still have not yet been issued with visas required for them to enter the U.S. The news agency has accused U.S. officials of “stonewalling Ahmadinejad’s visa process.”

If Ahmadinejad attends the assembly of the U.N., it will be his fourth such visit to the U.S. During his last trip in September 2007, Ahmadinejad’s request to lay a wreath at the World Trade Center to pay tribute to the victims of the tragedy was rejected by city authorities.

“When leaders are openly working against the international community’s efforts to address problems of concern, we should not provide them a bully pulpit,” Barrasso stated in his letter to Rice.

Courtesy photo Senator John Barrasso - (R) WY

PERMALINK:
Wyoming senators want Ahmadinejad banned from entering U.S. | Planet JH News Article: General News

Leave a Comment