I just happen to believe that the Iranian regime, with Ahmadinejad as its acknowledged head of state, is more fantical and more willing to go the distance than you do. If Ahmadinejad was so fringe to the mullahs, he would not be in the position he is in.
No glossing over details, no misrepresenting facts, no under estimating the nature of the fight we are in.
Ahmadinejad has our sons and daughters blood on his hands. He is the acknoledged head of that state, and he has said quite directly and clearly what he intends. Now, we have given him a platform, admittedly where to most Americans he came off very badly (because he is), but a platform nonetheless that will be utilized in his part of the world to further prosecute and promote his, and the mullah's behind him, agenda.
Rather than them (the mullahs) thinking that he scewed up, and that they screwed up...I believe they think he did exactly what he came here to do and that they believe they will benefit immensley from it. That is dangerous, and to counter your point, IMHO, there are many in this country who misunderstand the basic nature of these people and how they fundamentally differ from us in their thinking, what they consider to be logic, and how they react to it.
But that is just my opinion. In any case, I believe that the Iranian regime, including IWannaMakeJihad and the Mullahs, need to be brought down soonest.
I have the same concerns, but in my eyes Ahmadinejad is nothing more than a mouthpiece for Khamenei and the other Ayatollahs. As for his fringe position, that has more to do with the larger Sunni and Shia divide.
Khamenei has direct control over the Quds Force, who have been arming insurgents in Iraq. It ISN’T the same kind of jihad that terrorists like al Qaeda are waging. Khamenei wants to be a powerbroker in Iraq and this is classic state-sponsored insurgency like we saw with the Chinese in Korea and Soviets in Vietnam.
Our concern should be to destabilize and neutralize the Islamic powerblock in Iran, not to waste any more breath on their spineless, brainless and moronic figurehead.