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Khomeini is quoted as saying on November 5, 1979, "[America is] the great Satan, the wounded snake."[2] The term was used extensively during and after the Islamic Revolution,[3] but it continues to be in used in some Iranian political circles. Use of the term at rallies is often accompanied by shouts of "Marg bar Amrika!" ("Death to America" is an inexact translation of "Marg Bar Amrika", but is supposed to mean "Down with America").[4] The term has also found in political statements of Muslim and anti-American activists throughout the world. It is used in academic journals and media.[5]
Outing Iran: Marg Bar
By The Daily Dish
Jul 19 2009, 10:09 AM ET
by Patrick Appel
A reader writes:
I wanted to make a few comments on the slogan of "death to Russia" from the Friday prayers:
1. "Death to ..." is not a correct translation for "Marg bar ..." although it is a literal translation, the real meaning is closer to "down with ..."; it is an expression of extreme dissatisfaction rather than the wishing of death. Remember "death to potatoes" from the campaign (as a sign of dissatisfaction with Ahmadinejad's distribution of potatoes among likely voters)? My guess is that it originated with "Marg bar shah", which at the time probably was literally meant; it was a particularly powerful and defiant slogan at the time and that memory has perpetuated this line of sloganeering.
They are saying: "Marg bar basiji" (down with the baisjis)
This is no different and as you can see they are employing the same techniques in this thread. They show no facts to support their positions nor do they show facts that refute the ones that have already been posted.
Did the Ayatollah from 1979 create the doctrine that is quoted in the Farsnews article, calling for the destruction of Israel and death to Jewish people all over the world? - Yes he did.
Did Ahmadinejad give speeches that quoted the Ayatollah from 1979? Yes he did
Did Ahmadinejad call for wiping Israel off the map? Yes he did by quoting the Ayatollah and his doctrine.
Did Ahmadinejad ever take the time to clarify his statements, differentiating between Israel and Zionism? No he did not.
Did the current Ayatollah state Israel should be cut out like a cancer? Yes he did.
Did he make the distinction between the Zionist regime and the people of Israel? No he did not.
Originally posted by Xcathdra
Did Ahmadinejad call for wiping Israel off the map? Yes he did by quoting the Ayatollah and his doctrine.
Juan Cole, a University of Michigan Professor of Modern Middle East and South Asian History, agrees that Ahmadinejad's statement should be translated as, "the Imam said that this regime occupying Jerusalem (een rezhim-e eshghalgar-e qods) must [vanish from] the page of time (bayad az safheh-ye ruzgar mahv shavad).[12] According to Cole, "Ahmadinejad did not say he was going to 'wipe Israel off the map' because no such idiom exists in Persian." Instead, "he did say he hoped its regime, i.e., a Jewish-Zionist state occupying Jerusalem, would collapse."
Originally posted by Xcathdra
reply to post by SayonaraJupiter
In the speech he gave, he was quoting the first Ayatollah (1979).
So yes, Ahmadinejad as well as the first Ayatollah said wipe Israel off the map.
Juan Cole, a University of Michigan Professor of Modern Middle East and South Asian History, agrees that Ahmadinejad's statement should be translated as, "the Imam said that this regime occupying Jerusalem (een rezhim-e eshghalgar-e qods) must [vanish from] the page of time (bayad az safheh-ye ruzgar mahv shavad).[12] According to Cole, "Ahmadinejad did not say he was going to 'wipe Israel off the map' because no such idiom exists in Persian." Instead, "he did say he hoped its regime, i.e., a Jewish-Zionist state occupying Jerusalem, would collapse."