by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last night told the US, “I know that’s what you are, but what am I?” after the Americans accused him of playing a “double game” in Afghanistan.
Mr Ahmadinejad, speaking during an official visit to Afghanistan, also said the US were at fault because “He who smelt it, dealt it”, before concluding “and bagsy no click and no returnseys!”
This is Mr Ahmadinejad’s first visit to Afghanistan since both he and Mr Karzai were re-elected last year, and he has wasted no time in securing further anti-American support in his native homeland by utilising political tactics well know to most eleven year-old school children.
Debate
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who is also in Kabul, had accused Iran of giving the Taliban low-level support, with Ahmadinejad replying, “No, YOU’RE giving the Taliban low level support.”
The political tit-for-tat is expected to escalate today after Gates asked the Iranians if President Ahmadinejad was “a terrorist tied to a tree”, which forced a strenuous denial by Iranian officials only for Gates to respond by proclaiming that Ahmadinejad was “A terrorist on the loose! A terrorist on the loose!”
Western governments have criticised the diplomatic spat as being childish and immature, only for Gates to respond, “No YOU’RE being childish and immature.”
“And anyway, he started it.”
