[Vision2020] The Lewiston Morning Tribune Article on Irving

[thansen@moscow.com]

Holocaust denier sounds off despite restaurant's brush-off; David Irving speaks 
to small group in Moscow


David Johnson 
MOSCOW -- Holocaust denier David Irving was served with no-trespassing papers 
here Tuesday evening after a local restaurant manager refused to give the 
controversial British World War II historian a place to meet and sell books. 

Irving, who arrived in a white rental vehicle on a tour of Western states, 
protested when he was denied access to the Mark IV Motor Inn Restaurant and 
Lounge and then moved his gathering to the Hampton Inn across town. 

A sign in the Hampton Inn lobby read: "Welcome Par Force U.K. Limited." 

About a dozen people were in attendance, and Irving invited the Lewiston 
Tribune to cover his talk. 

"It's very silly, really," he said of repeated attempts by his critics to foil 
his appearances. He apparently had space reserved at both sites in Moscow. But 
Moscow Police Capt. David Duke confirmed late Tuesday afternoon that a Mark IV 
employee had requested assistance to ensure that Irving remained off the 
property. The business closed early to ensure against any problems. 

"I wish this had never happened," said Jeff Cheser, manager and co-owner of the 
Mark IV. "He was trying to pull a fast one on us." 

Word of Irving's scheduled visit to Moscow was first reported a few weeks ago. 
He had made a similar stop on the Palouse in 1998 when he held a meeting in 
Pullman. His pending arrival here became the subject of much talk Monday on 
Vision 2020, a local computer bulletin board. A report of the Mark IV venue 
then leaked out and Cheser, when told of the situation, said he knew nothing 
about Irving. 

By Tuesday afternoon, Cheser said he'd been receiving calls about the meeting 
and decided to close the business rather than deal with Irving and the 
potential conflicts that seem to follow him. Duke said Irving was served with 
the no trespassing notice without further incident. 

The Lewiston Tribune later learned of his arrival at the Hampton Inn. Inside, 
he had books, tapes and CDs -- virtually all pertaining to his historical views 
of war. Irving is best known for his books "Hitler's War" and "Churchill's 
War." In both, he disputes much of mainstream history, particularly the 
Holocaust, contending that it never happened. Once recognized by mainstream 
publishers, he said no one will touch his books anymore. So he self-publishes 
his tomes. 

"Everywhere I go, there are attempts to silence me," he said. He said he's been 
denied entry into almost every country except the United States. "The one thing 
they don't want to do is debate me, because I have a lot of answers." 

One of the biggest misnomers, said Irving, is the way his politics are 
characterized. "I don't know why I'm described as right wing," he told those in 
attendance. In fact, he said, he questions everything about America's 
involvement in Iraq and suggests that all of the Bush administration' reasons 
for going and staying in Iraq are blatant falsehoods or lies. 

"The weapons (of mass destruction) don't exist, let's face it," said 
Irving. "George Bush can't even say nuclear." He also dismissed the 
administration's other war rationales -- that Saddam Hussein is evil, that the 
regime needed to be changed, and that the war is about fighting terrorism -- as 
ploys to mask the real reason: to get a geo-political foothold in the Middle 
East. 

Standing before his listeners with his books piled around him on tables, Irving 
warned that Saddam and other Iraqi leaders have borrowed from the history of 
war by allowing the United States to virtually race its way into Baghdad. He 
said a trap was set and the battlefield is now staged for a lengthy and bloody 
insurgency. He predicted that the attacks on American troops will steadily 
increase despite the capture of Saddam. 

"You thought you had a victory." But what people fail to understand, said 
Irving, is that Iraq is surrounded by friendly countries because they all have 
a common enemy -- America and Israel. 

As of press time, Moscow police said there were no more reports of problems 
involving Irving. 



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