Iranians criticize Columbia University's combative introduction for Ahmadinejad

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranians on Tuesday called the combative introduction of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by the head of Columbia University "shameful" and said the harsh words only added to their image of the United States as a bully.

In a region where the tradition of hospitality outweighs personal opinions about people, many here thought Columbia University President Lee Bollinger's aggressive tone — including telling Ahmadinejad that he exhibited the signs of a "petty and cruel dictator" — was over the top.

"The surprising point of the last night meeting is the behavior of the university president," state-run radio reported, describing Bollinger's introduction as "full of insult, which was mostly Zionists' propaganda against Iran."

The chancellors of seven Iranian universities issued a letter on Tuesday to Bollinger saying his statements were "deeply shameful" and invited him to Iran.

In the letter, they asked him to respond to 10 questions ranging from: "Why did the U.S. support the bloodthirsty dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iraqi-imposed war on Iran?" to "Why has the U.S. military failed to find al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden even with all its advanced equipment?"

Ahmadinejad's visit to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly has created a stir and thousands have protested his appearance there.

Despite calls to cancel Ahmadinejad's question-and-answer forum at Columbia, Bollinger said the hardline leader, known for his anti-Israel and U.S. rhetoric, should be allowed to speak.

Ahmadinejad smiled at first in response to Bollinger's words, then decried the "insults" and "unfriendly treatment." In his speech, Ahmadinejad portrayed himself as an intellectual and argued that his administration respected reason and science. He even drew audience applause at times, such as when he bemoaned the plight of the Palestinians.

But the Iranian also found himself drawn into the type of rhetoric that has alienated American audiences in the past. He questioned the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks and defended Holocaust revisionists.

While Ahmadinejad likely expected at worst a hostile grilling by the audience, Bollinger's sardonic comments reflected a blatant disregard for the tradition of hospitality revered in the Middle East. His comments may deflect some of the U.S. criticism he got for issuing the invitation to the Iranian president, but it could also backfire by drawing sympathy for Ahmadinejad, even in quarters where he would normally be sharply criticized.