World should confront Iran's Ahmadinejad

The Detroit News coverage of Iranian leader Ahmadinejad's speech last week to the United Nations ("Ahmadinejad blasts U.S., NATO bullying," Sept. 24) did not include reference to his outrageous anti-Semitic remarks. A nation's leader has not declared to the world such hatred against the Jewish people since Adolph Hitler.

Using "Zionist" as a code word, Ahmadinejad accused Jews of controlling "financial and monetary centers" who "deceitfully" manipulate Americans, and he labeled them "murderers." Such classic anti-Semitic canards are especially worrisome in light of Ahmadinejad's declared genocidal intent -- demonizing Israel and predicting its destruction, calling Jews satanic enemies of mankind, arming Israel's genocidal terrorist enemies Hezbollah and Hamas and developing nuclear weapons for Iran.

The United Nations Convention against Genocide was adopted following the defeat of Nazism, and it is time for the world to use it to confront Ahmadinejad's agenda. As former Canadian Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler called for this week, Iran should be brought before the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention, and the UN Security Council should refer Ahmadinejad to the International Criminal Court to stand trial for advocating genocide.

Further, his genocidal intent should prompt the Security Council to impose additional sanctions against Iran, and UN members should ban Ahmadinejad from entering their countries.

Ahmadinejad's remarks must be exposed, understood, clearly condemned and responded to forcefully.

Robert Cohen

Executive Director

Jewish Community Relations Council

Bloomfield Hills