Brothers in Fundamentalism

I have read the letter (English – German) from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  to President Bush. It is not the usual letter one would expect from one head of state to another. Ahmadinejad writes to Bush as one (Islamic) fundamentalist to another (Christian). President Bush has always emphasized his Christian faith and he told the journalist Bob Woodward in Plan of Attack that he consulted with God when he chose to invade Iraq. Ahmadinejad simply takes him by his word and proposes a new world order based on the word of God:

"I have been told that Your Excellency follows the teachings of Jesus (PBUH), and believes in the divine promise of the rule of the righteous on Earth.
We also believe that Jesus Christ (PBUH) was one of the great prophets of the Almighty. He has been repeatedly praised in the Koran. Jesus (PBUH) has been quoted in Koran as well; [19,36] And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serves Him; this is the right path, Marium.

Service to and obedience of the Almighty is the credo of all divine messengers.

The God of all people in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, the Pacific and the rest of the world is one. He is the Almighty who wants to guide and give dignity to all His servants. He has given greatness to Humans.
We again read in the Holy Book : The Almighty God sent His prophets with miracles and clear signs to guide the people and show them divine signs and purity them from sins and pollutions. And He sent the Book and the balance so that the people display justice and avoid the rebellious.
All of the above verses can be seen, one way or the other, in the Good Book as well."

Juan Cole points out that Ahmadinejad is a Shiite millenarian, i.e. he believes in the near advent of the messianic Twelfth Imam, the promised one of the Shiites. President Bush often uses phrases and images connoting the end times belief of Christian eschatology – playing to his fundamentalist Christian base. Ahmadinejad recoginizes in President Bush a fellow fundamentalist who is basically hostile to democratic principles – something Ahmadinejad obviously admires and endorses. So why not drop the pretense altogether?

Liberalism and Western style democracy have not been able to help realize the ideals of humanity. Today these two concepts have failed. Those with insight can already hear the sounds of the shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts of the liberal democratic systems.
We increasingly see that people around the world are flocking towards a main focal point – that is the Almighty God. Undoubtedly through faith in God and the teachings of the prophets, the people will conquer their problems.

There are many Bush supporters – evangelical Christians – who would agree with every word in that passage. But Ahmadinejad’s appeal to Bush as a Christian will accomplish nothing – preparations for war continue as before.  The German Iran expert Wahied Wahdat-Hagh says, in an interview with Der Spiegel, that the letter was not really directed to Bush, but rather to the Muslim world: "Ahmadinejad wants to build an anti-Western coalition and Iran wants to present itself as the leading power in the Muslim world."  Ahmadinejad’s letter served to heighten the tension between two fundamentalist worldviews, and the Christian end times enthusiasts are ecstatic:  the Rapture Index today is 154: the highest level which indicates Fasten your seat belts.

Iran Islam Fundamentalism Christianity Ahmadinejad