Or are U.S. troops the main obstacle to Iraq's becoming a full-fledged client state of Iran? Or are U.S. troops in Iraq the main enabler of Iranian meddling in Syria and Lebanon, since they know the Americans will do nothing while they are tied up in Iraq? "Iran tells Iraq: U.S. troops are 'main obstacle on the way to progress,'" by Ashraf Khalil for the Los Angeles Times, June 10 (thanks to Morgaan Sinclair):
BAGHDAD -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki concluded a three-day visit to Iran after meeting Monday with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who warned that the continued presence of U.S. troops was "the main obstacle on the way to progress and prosperity in Iraq."The session with Khamenei, Iran's top religious and political authority, served to further highlight the delicate position of the Iraqi government -- caught between the U.S. and Iran, each seeking to pull Iraq out of the other's sphere of influence.
U.S. officials have long accused Shiite Muslim Iran of playing a negative role in the affairs of its neighbor to the west, which has had a Shiite-run government of its own in the wake of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.
Khamenei, however, said Iraq's "most important problem" wasn't the still-active Sunni Arab insurgency or the reining in of Shiite militias, but rather the continued presence of "occupying troops."
Khamenei and other Iranian politicians have repeatedly urged Maliki's government not to sign a status of forces agreement being negotiated with the United States. The agreement would provide a legal framework for the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq after the United Nations mandate expires at the end of this year.
Iran accuses the United States of seeking to formalize a permanent domination of Iraq through the status of forces pact.
Washington alleges that Tehran is working to destabilize Iraq by supplying weapons to Shiite militias, a charge the Iranians deny. Maliki's government is caught in the middle.
"Iran is accusing America, and America is accusing Iran," said Mahmoud Othman, a veteran Kurdish politician and lawmaker in Iraq. "Nobody would want to be in Maliki's shoes right now."...
Message received.
If Iraqis believe Khameini is wrong, what do they intend to do about it, other than sit on their hands? (When they're not whining about "occupation", that is!)
So why should Americans listen to anyone who says that summarily withdrawing our troops from Iraq "is irresponsible" and "will damage American credibility"?
If anything, we see how unreliable Muslims are as allies. Otherwise Maliki and company would have given Iran the cold shoulder long ago.
occupying troops. LOL there only occupying troops.
when there not shiit ( e left off)from iran
Khamenei is correct. US troops are the main obstacle to progress in Iraq for Iran. If the Iranians keep going as they are, US troops will wind up being the main obstable to Khamenei's progress in Iran as well.
Tune "Barbara Ann" by the Beach Boys.
Lyrics by John McCain.(on a microphone test)
"Bomb,Bomb,Bomb...........Bomb Bomb Iran".
"Bomb,Bomb,Bomb...........Bomb Bomb Iran".
"Bomb Iran...Take my hand and Bomb Iran"
"You've got me rockin and a rolling,
rolling and a realing, Bomb Iran, Bomb Bomb..."
Ah, they finally got around to the real agenda: the proposed security agreement between the United States and Iraq. Maliki is not likely a fool, so I don't think he would not be able to see through that bit of bald trickery. Yes, massah, we no sign deal and we ask zee Americans to leave. The Iranians would quickly fill the gap. On top of that, everyone knows that Iran is worried about the bordering airspace on both sides of them from which attacks on their nuclear weapons' sites would come.
If Iraq sides with Iran, expect civil war in that country. The Kurds would secede and the Sunni would revolt. Maliki must know this. His bias may be in favor of the Iranians, but he cannot play that hand as far as he might want to go.
Meanwhile, the Iranians wait with baited breath for the outcome of our election. If Obonga wins, then they move into action to extend their strategic aims.
Time to quit with the cycle of accusations and get Jihad on the ropes and pummel them..all Muslim countries should be declared enemies of the world and annihilated!! Hopefully President Bush starts with Iran and proceeds to the end..
To: theonethatknows,
You can't go over the whole and kill all the Moslims. You mean in the Middle East???
Plenty of them in the Far East, Europe, Canada, Australia, South America and U.S.A.
In the Middle East, let it begin between between the Shiites and the Sunnis, let them kill each other. But the whole region becomes unstable. And their is it again OIL. Iraq suppose to pay us back for the WAR with their OIL.
How do we than keep a close eye on Iran.
In Qatar they hate the Saudi's.
We need Qatar. Our bombers are there, ready to go when they get the order. Our satelite communication is there. Both Army and Airforce basises have been builing up.
Maria..Let's fight them where they want to fight us..They are obviously cowards, so we may have to
go in amongst the women and children they are hiding behind!!