| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
|
 Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:10 pm Post subject: Putting your nuts in other people's hands |
 |
|
| Quote: |
Iraqi president seeks Iran's help
BBC - Visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has called on Iran to provide "comprehensive help" to improve his country's security situation.
Mr Talabani arrived following a two-day delay, caused by a curfew that was imposed after bomb attacks in Baghdad killed more than 200 people.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told him Iran would do what it could.
The trip is part of a renewed flurry of diplomacy that sees US President George W Bush visiting Jordan this week. Separately, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has said that Iraq is close to civil war. "I think given the developments on the ground, unless something is done drastically and urgently to arrest the deteriorating situation, we could be there. In fact we are almost there," he said.
Mr Talabani was given a red-carpet welcome by Mr Ahmadinejad at Iran's presidential palace and inspected a guard of honour. Iranian television quoted the Iraqi president as saying: "We are in dire need of Iran's help in establishing security and stability in Iraq."
The trip was delayed by the Sadr City bomb attacks on Thursday
The US and UK have repeatedly accused Iran of impeding efforts to stabilise Iraq. But Mr Ahmadinejad said a secure, progressive and powerful Iraq was in the interests of Iran and the whole region.
He said the situation inflicted on Iraq by its enemies pained all Iranians and Muslims. "Any help the government and nation of Iran can give to strengthen security in Iraq will be given," he said. "We have no limitation for co-operation in any field."
Iranian officials said Iran had been trying to organise a summit including Mr Ahmadinejad, Mr Talabani and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but that Damascus had not responded to the invitation. The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says some have suggested Iran wants to keep the US bogged down in Iraq to prevent it attacking Iran in the future over its nuclear programme. But she says it seems Iran is increasingly concerned about the uncontrollable level of violence in Iraq.
Mr Ahmadinejad has previously said Iran is willing to help but only if the US changes its approach and abandons what it calls its "bullying" of Iran. |
This story, as well as other recent ones, lead me to believe there is a serious disconnect going on at the very highest levels in Washington and Baghdad. Both nations seem to have placed themselves in the position where they need Iran's help in order to stabilize American interests there. But one has to ask oneself, 'why on earth would Iran want to assist the US in stabilizing Iraq?' After years of being subject to threats of sanctions, airstrikes, spy missions by drone aircraft, etc., by the US and Israel, the exact opposite is true - a destabilized Iraq, engulfed in chaos and violence, is exactly what is in Iran's best interests. If for no other reason then that it ties down US military resources in the region and prevents them from being redeployed elsewhere.
It can also be argued, that the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the 'coalition of the willing' has actually undermined US strategic interests in the region. The US now seems to be more dependent on Iran, diplomatically, than it was before the invasion, and as a result may be less able to put pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear processing programmes and sponsorship of terrorist activities in the Middle East. Eventually the US may have to accede to Iran's becoming a nuclear weapon state, because of their invasion of Iraq.
This would make a great musical.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Manner of Speaking wrote: |
| ...the US may have to accede to Iran's becoming a nuclear weapon state, because of their invasion of Iraq. |
First, a nuclear-armed Tehran would not be merely Washington's problem. Most regional govts would not feel very secure about that -- and even Paris has voiced strong reservations.
Finally, I think the behind-the-scenes diplomacy would be fascinating to evaluate on this one -- the Iraqi War, that is. I strongly suspect that Iran and Syria, and others as well, have been involved in the insurgency one way or another for some time, and that Tehran's endgame has probably always been greater influence in the region and nuclear weapons without sanctions. But we will have to wait a while to see the U.S. records; and I doubt we will ever see a single Iranian document. So I suppose we will never know as much as we might like. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Mind summarizing it? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nambucaveman
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Now I have to admit really laughing when I read the title MOS gave the thread. Too funny..
NC |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Gopher wrote: |
| Mind summarizing it? |
It'll take 3 minutes to listen to. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Gopher wrote: |
| Manner of Speaking wrote: |
| ...the US may have to accede to Iran's becoming a nuclear weapon state, because of their invasion of Iraq. |
First, a nuclear-armed Tehran would not be merely Washington's problem. Most regional govts would not feel very secure about that -- and even Paris has voiced strong reservations. |
Yes true...I meant it in terms of the context of 'bargaining chips'. The US may eventually be able to persuade Iran to take a more constructive role in stabilizing Iraq, but in return Iran may succeed in extracting US acquiesence (sp?) to Iran's nuclear aspirations. In this sense, the US's bargaining position is now (or may end up being) vulnerable than the EU's, vis-a-vis Iran.
| Nambucaveman wrote: |
Now I have to admit really laughing when I read the title MOS gave the thread. Too funny..
NC |
I meant it in the context of the old parable of getting someone else to 'pull your nuts out of the fire'...but perhaps it also has an unintentional off-color connotation... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| That's chestnuts out of the fire... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nambucaveman
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
MOS oh I see. Well it proves even mods have dirty minds.
NC |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
| ...perhaps it was intended to also have a certain off-color connotation...hey I'm entitled to my fun! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
