Ahmadinejad in New York City

Americans consider the World Trade Center "Ground Zero" as sacred ground. They do have a fairly legitimate claim. After all, it IS in the United States and some 2900 or so American casualties were suffered in the calamitous attack.
However, Americans conveniently forget that some 70 or so other countries also suffered losses in that attack. Most of those foreign casualties remain missing or their remains are still unidentified. One of those nations suffering loss is IRAN.
As much as Americans and their leadership would like to demonize that country and its leadership, the President of Iran does have a legitimate interest in visiting the site and placing a wreath, or whatever other homage he wishes to convey on the part of his government, regardless of the underlying political motives.
Ironically, Saudi Arabia, a country we consider a close friend, suffered no casualties at the WTC, unless you count the hijackers of the two planes. Yet how do we treat their condolences?

On another note, Americans pride themselves on the Constitution's guarantees of free speech. Yet, rather than talk to nations such as Iran, or let them talk to us, we would rather bomb them back to the Stone Age. If actions speak louder than words, what does that say about Americans? The Iraq Commission, the generals in the field...in fact, just about everybody but the American President, have concluded that the Middle East problems will only be solved through diplomacy. That means talking....speech!!! America may win every battle militarily, and probably will. But those victories will come to nought without speech....diplomacy....talking.
So Americans should welcome whatever President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has to say, whether it be at Columbia University, the United Nations, the WTC, or from his bully-pulpit back home. It opens debate. It begins diplomacy. It is a Constitutional imperative for each American, and especially their leadership, to listen, understand, respond, and negotiate. Be diplomatic and stop the rhetoric, the ad hominums, the demonizations and the body counts. Understand what they really want and need, and vice versa. Maybe...just maybe...there is a solution.