Reply #5: Some snips from Hossein Khomeini's presentation at AEI with Ledeen

[Emit]

"As Churchill mobilized the laid-back British population against Hitler, the United States also could mobilize American public opinion for the freedom of Iranians," Hossein Khomeini said.

I don't see any kind of material reason for the United States government to have gone to Iraq and free that country. Usually, I think that democracy in the United States, even less sanguine than democracy in Great Britain. In Second World War, neither Britain nor U.S. became involved in the war immediately. Only Pearl Harbor drove United States into the war. Therefore, I'm surprised that the United States, without really, without immediate threat, did go to Iraq and free that country, and that was really a blessing for the people of Iraq and I admire that.

I don't think in Iran, this would be, or the United States would recur (?) to the same truths (?). The Iranians should themselves try to get to the ideas that they're searching. Of course we should try ourselves but we should not ignore the power and help of the democracies in the world, but these countries, as I said, they are rational people, and until and unless they have immediate cause, they would not get involved. The America intervention in Iraq is a surprise and they have occupied Iraq. Iran is intervening in Iraqi affairs extensively, and maybe this would cause the United States to pay attention to Iran.

~snip~

(From the Q&A's)

QUESTION: My name is Baran Farizenfir and the question is if he would support the military movement against Iranian government, and the second question is if he has any followers in Iraq. Thank you.

MR. KHOMEINI : One should think how deep the problem and the pressures are in Iran on the Iranian people, that there are so many of them who in fact crave for some sort of foreign intervention to get rid of this calamity. No one can support military action, or bloodshed, but at the same time, if this issue becomes a propaganda issue, the antagonism or opposition to any kind of military intervention, this would be, play in the hands of the Islamic Republic of Iran, claiming that if anything happens to us, the America government is going to attack Iran.

As to my followers, what I know is that my words and my statements have been echoed, have been received by the, a lot of members of the Revolutionary Guards and members of the Ministry of Information, in fact those institutions that belong to the regime, to the Islamic Republic of Iran. What--my words, and the things that have I have said has found a receptive ear among these groups. that IU know.

~snip~

MR. LADEEN: Okay. This will be the last question. Rob.

QUESTION: Rob Sabani . We don't have a tradition of 4:00 o'clock tea in the U.S. but if you were to be invited to the White House and you had a half-hour chat with the President of the United States, what, specifically, would you ask the President of the United States to do to free your country?

MR. KHOMEINI : As I indicated in my other, parts of my statements, I think United States, I ask the President to take the question of democracy, not only in the Middle East but especially in Iran, very seriously. As Churchill mobilized the laid-back British population against Hitler, the United States also could mobilize American public opinion for the freedom of Iranians.

(Applause.)

http://www.aei.org/events/filter.all,eventID.630/transcript.asp