US seeks protection of troops, Iraqis, not escalation with Iran
Iran-USA, Politics, 1/27/2007

US President George W. Bush said the United States is working to solve its disputes with Iran through diplomatic means, but it has an obligation to take action in Iraq when US troops and Iraqi citizens are being threatened by "outside influence."

That policy does not signify that the United States wants to expand military conflict beyond Iraq's border, Bush said in remarks with General David Petraeus January 26.

"We believe that we can solve our problems with Iran diplomatically, and are working to do that," Bush said, mentioning the US coordination with the international community in response to Iran's continued uranium enrichment and reprocessing program.

Bush said he takes issue with Iran's government, which he said is isolating its citizens and "denying the Iranian people their true place in the world." (See related article.)

"We want the Iranian people to flourish, and we want their economy to be strong. And we want their mothers to be able to raise their children in a hopeful society. And so we'll work diplomatically, and I believe we can solve our problems peacefully," Bush said.

In a January 10 speech, the president said Iran is providing "material support" for attacks on US troops.

"We'll interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq," Bush said.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that policy applies to "any individuals" who seek to do harm to US troops.

"This is about force protection. This is about protecting our troops, and certainly the United States does not seek confrontation with Iran. We are going to defend our interests. We are going to work in the interests of our national security and foreign policy."

McCormack said "parts of the Iranian government are engaged in activities that have the end result of posing a threat" to US troops in Iraq. "[W]e are going to confront those individuals and groups inside Iraq that are posing that threat."

US forces took Iranians in Iraq into custody in two separate incidents, in Baghdad at the end of December 2006, and on January 11 in Irbil.

"In the first case, we worked very closely with the Iraqi government in terms of sorting those who had diplomatic status within Iraq. They were in fairly short order turned over to the Iraqis and they were then asked to leave Iraq," and then the others were turned over to Iran through Iraqi authorities at "a slightly later date."

The five detained in Irbil "are still being questioned at this point." Those individuals "do not have diplomatic status and they were not working at a diplomatic facility," he said.

"They were picked up because they were suspected of being connected in some way to these EFD (explosive foreign device) networks," McCormack said, referring to a type of incendiary explosive device (IED) that is especially lethal due to its advanced technology and techniques, especially against various types of armor used by US forces.

He said the Bush administration intends to release evidence of Iranian activities against US troops pending its declassification and referred questions over specific evidence or materials that implicated the five individuals to the Multi-National Force in Iraq (MNFI), which is holding them.

McCormack also said the United States will be working with the Iraqi government with regard to the "next steps" in the processing of the five individuals.

Even though Bush has reassured that he seeks political and military pressure on Iran, Iran reactions to these US moves was viewed differently.

Iran's Member of Majlis' presiding board Mohsen Kouhkan today declared that national solidarity will foil foreign powers' plots against Iran. "Iran has no physical involvement or intervention in Iraq, Lebanon or other regional countries," he said.

Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar today said that the US, in moves to foment or intensify religious and tribal conflicts, intends to make up for its failures in the region.

Addressing staff of his ministry, he said that Washington, in the way Saddam's trial and execution was conducted, made it appear that they were under the control of Shiite Muslims.
Speaking of the raid on the Iranian consulate and consequent arrest of Iranian diplomats in the Iraqi city of Erbil, the US tried to justify its move by claiming "Shiite Iran is responsible for the insecurity in Iraq," the minister added.
He said Washington's moves at fomenting tension between Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq and its interference in Lebanese domestic affairs are aimed at creating tensions in the region.
He said he surmised US policymakers base their decisions on a desire to continue their illegitimate presence in the Middle East which would naturally call for plundering of their wealth and resources, creation of tensions and insecurity and waging of wars in on the region.
He called for vigilance and solidarity of Muslim nations and governments.

Mohammad-Najjar said it was his firm belief that security, tranquility, stability and peace can only be realized through urgent withdrawal of foreign forces occupying the region.

The Iranian minister further underscored the need for
establishment of amicable and consolidated ties among all regional states.

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani said Thursday that rumors about the possibility of US military attack on Iran is a type of psychological warfare.

He made the remark, while talking to domestic and foreign media at Mehrabad International Airport, where he saw off his Saudi counterpart, Bandar bin Sultan.

Meanwhile, Larijani underlined that Iran's armed forces are fully prepared to respond to any anti-Iran moves.

Perhaps reflecting some voices that are skeptical of the US moves regarding Iran, and fear the the US administration is trying to create pretense for acting against Iran, US Senate Leader Harry Reid speaking on the Ed Schultz radio show this week said that President Bush does not have the Congress's authorization for military conflict with Iran, as this would be a declaration of war that requires Congress's approval.

Previous Stories:
  Iran undeterred by psychological war: officials   (1/20/2007)
  US capture of diplomats aimed at Iran - Iraq relations: Iranians   (1/20/2007)
  US Iran strike against Iran unlikely   (1/20/2007)

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