Wyoming senators want Ahmadinejad banned

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

By Jake Nichols

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-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 threas 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.

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 U.N. meetings on U.S. soil.

Shultz stuck by his decision, backed by 68 U. S. senators and Israel, 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.

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.

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.

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 Planet JH.
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.

Yesterday, Ahmadinejad addressed the assembly. There was much protesting in the streets of New York City, but nothing new from the Iranian president, certainly no dramtic gestures of peace. 


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