Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was invited to Columbia to speak in the Fall of 2006, but the invitation was revoked after apparent confusion at the highest levels of the Columbia administration, between SIPA Dean Lisa Anderson and President Lee Bollinger. However, in 2007, he was invited back, this time by Bollinger directly, showing, if nothing else, more courage than the man has previously displayed at Columbia.

The first time provoked a great deal of criticism as well as praise. The second time will presumably be even more controversial, everyone having their arguments already rehearsed and ready to shout.