For those who were wondering how Iranians felt about the whole PrezBo introduction...

"Fars News Agency September 25, 2007

Iranian University Chancellors Ask Bollinger 10 Questions

TEHRAN - Seven chancellors and presidents of Iranian universities and research centers, in a letter addressed to their counterpart in the US Colombia University, denounced Lee Bollinger's insulting words against the Iranian nation and president and invited him to provide responses for 10 questions of the Iranian academicians and intellectuals.

The following is the full text of the letter.

Mr. Lee Bollinger
Columbia University President

We, the professors and heads of universities and research institutions in
Tehran , hereby announce our displeasure and protest at your impolite
remarks prior to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent speech at
Columbia University.

We would like to inform you that President Ahmadinejad was elected directly
by the Iranian people through an enthusiastic two-round poll in which almost
all of the country's political parties and groups participated. To assess
the quality and nature of these elections you may refer to US news reports
on the poll dated June 2005.

Your insult, in a scholarly atmosphere, to the president of a country with a
population of 72 million and a recorded history of 7,000 years of
civilization and culture is deeply shameful.

Your comments, filled with hate and disgust, may well have been influenced
by extreme pressure from the media, but it is regrettable that media
policy-makers can determine the stance a university president adopts in his
speech.

Your remarks about our country included unsubstantiated accusations that
were the product of guesswork as well as media propaganda. Some of your
claims result from misunderstandings that can be clarified through dialogue
and further research.

During his speech, Mr. Ahmadinejad answered a number of your questions and
those of students. We are prepared to answer any remaining questions in a
scientific, open and direct debate.

You asked the president approximately ten questions. Allow us to ask you ten
of our own questions in the hope that your response will help clear the
atmosphere of misunderstanding and distrust between our two countries and
reveal the truth.

1- Why did the US media put you under so much pressure to prevent Mr.
Ahmadinejad from delivering his speech at Columbia University? And why have
American TV networks been broadcasting hours of news reports insulting our
president while refusing to allow him the opportunity to respond? Is this
not against the principle of freedom of speech?

2- Why, in 1953, did the US administration overthrow the Iran's national
government under Dr Mohammad Mosaddegh and go on to support the Shah's
dictatorship?

3- Why did the US support the blood-thirsty dictator Saddam Hussein during
the 1980-88 Iraqi-imposed war on Iran, considering his reckless use of
chemical weapons against Iranian soldiers defending their land and even
against his own people?

4- Why is the US putting pressure on the government elected by the majority
of Palestinians in Gaza instead of officially recognizing it? And why does
it oppose Iran 's proposal to resolve the 60-year-old Palestinian issue
through a general referendum?

5- Why has the US military failed to find Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden
even with all its advanced equipment? How do you justify the old friendship
between the Bush and Bin Laden families and their cooperation on oil deals?
How can you justify the Bush administration's efforts to disrupt
investigations concerning the September 11 attacks?

6- Why does the US administration support the Mujahedin Khalq Organization
(MKO) despite the fact that the group has officially and openly accepted the
responsibility for numerous deadly bombings and massacres in Iran and Iraq?
Why does the US refuse to allow Iran 's current government to act against
the MKO's main base in Iraq?

7- Was the US invasion of Iraq based on international consensus and did
international institutions support it? What was the real purpose behind the
invasion which has claimed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives? Where are
the weapons of mass destruction that the US claimed were being stockpiled in
Iraq?

8- Why do America's closest allies in the Middle East come from extremely
undemocratic governments with absolutist monarchical regimes?

9- Why did the US oppose the plan for a Middle East free of unconventional
weapons in the recent session of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Board of Governors despite the fact the move won the support of all members
other than Israel?

10- Why is the US displeased with Iran's agreement with the IAEA and why
does it openly oppose any progress in talks between Iran and the agency to
resolve the nuclear issue under international law?

Finally, we would like to express our readiness to invite you and other
scientific delegations to our country. A trip to Iran would allow you and
your colleagues to speak directly with Iranians from all walks of life
including intellectuals and university scholars. You could then assess the
realities of Iranian society without media censorship before making
judgments about the Iranian nation and government.

You can be assured that Iranians are very polite and hospitable toward their
guests."