| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"ChasNemo" |
| Date: |
15 Sep 2006 08:20:38 AM |
| Object: |
MORE BAD NEWS FOR BU$H -- IRAN & IRAQ ARE LIKELY TO UNITE! |
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/12/iraq.iran/index.html
Iran president backs 'united' Iraq
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's president -- hosting a visit from Iraq's
prime minister and expressing support for his country's beleaguered
war-torn neighbor -- says the Islamic republic supports a "united" Iraq
and will help the nation "establish full security," an Iranian news
agency reported.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at a news conference with Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki after private talks were held on Tuesday, the state-run
Islamic Republic News Agency reported. It is al-Maliki's first visit to
Iran since he became prime minister earlier this year.
"Iran will provide assistance to the Iraqi government to establish full
security. We believe strengthening the Iraqi government is tantamount
to promoting security, peace and friendship in that country,"
Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.
Iraq is currently in the throes of deep civil strife, enduring a
persistent insurgency and an upsurge of sectarian violence this year
between Sunnis and Shiites in Baghdad and other cities.
American and British officials have claimed that Iran is attempting to
fan the flames of insecurity in Iraq, where the government is trying to
promote national unity among Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds.
Iran and Iraq are linked in large part by common religion, but their
relationship is complicated.
Iran -- populated largely by Persians, Azeris and Kurds -- is
predominantly Shiite Muslim. About 60 percent of the people in Iraq are
Shiite, most of whom Arabs.
Iraq's new government is dominated by a Shiite-led coalition. Both
Ahmadinejad and al-Maliki are Shiites.
While many Iranians and Iraqis -- officials as well as citizens --
believe the nations are kindred spirits, there have been tensions
between them.
They fought a bloody war in the 1980s when Saddam Hussein was in power
in Iraq. Hussein is now on trial for genocide in connection with a
military campaign in Iraq's Kurdish region at the tail end of that war.
The United States, now the chief ally and backer of the Iraqi
government, has been a longtime adversary of Iran on many issues,
including Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Last week, six Iraqi border guards were detained by Iranian border
guards in a dispute, an official with Iraq's border security said.
A prominent Sunni member of Iraq's parliament, Saleh al-Mutlag,
questioned al-Maliki's visit in light of this incident.
"I am very surprised that a prime minister would visit a country
holding symbols of Iraq's sovereignty," he said.
An Iraqi official told CNN the issue will be dealt with in Tehran by
lower-level officials from the two countries.
'Close ties'
Ahmadinejad also boosted the idea of a "united and independent Iraq"
that "will be beneficial to security and progress of the entire
region."
He "pointed out that both countries have close ties in both cultural
and religious areas, and they have reached agreement in trade,
transportation and energy," IRNA said.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq enjoy deep-rooted historical
relations beyond normal ties between the two neighboring states,"
Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying. "We regard progress, independence and
territorial territory of Iraq as our own."
And, he added, "we completely support the Iraqi government and
parliament and will transfer our experience to our Iraqi friends in all
fields including reconstruction of the country and economic
cooperation."
Describing his talks with al-Maliki as "very good," he said the
countries "share" a "common stance on regional and international
issues. Both sides are determined to consolidate brotherly ties."
According to the IRNA report, al-Maliki said both countries are looking
forward to bilateral cooperation.
IRNA reported that al-Maliki was "asked whether Iran and Iraq did not
implement previous agreements following allegations raised against Iran
about its meddling in Iraq's domestic affairs."
It reported that al-Maliki "stressed the two sides face no obstacle in
the way of implementing agreements."
Earlier, Iraqi government spokesman Ali Dabbagh told CNN that al-Maliki
was in Iran on a two-day official visit "to discuss security and
political relations."
"In principle, Iraq wants a relationship with no interference."
Asked what he meant by no interference, Dabbagh replied that Iraq did
not want to be drawn into the disputes between Iran and the United
States.
"Iraq cannot pay the cost for that. As Iraq cannot be used by Iran to
attack the United States, also Iraq cannot be used as a base for
America to attack Iran."
.
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| User: "zzpat" |
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| Title: Re: MORE BAD NEWS FOR BU$H -- IRAN & IRAQ ARE LIKELY TO UNITE! |
15 Sep 2006 10:43:22 AM |
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ChasNemo wrote:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/12/iraq.iran/index.html
Iran president backs 'united' Iraq
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's president -- hosting a visit from Iraq's
prime minister and expressing support for his country's beleaguered
war-torn neighbor -- says the Islamic republic supports a "united" Iraq
and will help the nation "establish full security," an Iranian news
agency reported.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at a news conference with Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki after private talks were held on Tuesday, the state-run
Islamic Republic News Agency reported. It is al-Maliki's first visit to
Iran since he became prime minister earlier this year.
"Iran will provide assistance to the Iraqi government to establish full
security. We believe strengthening the Iraqi government is tantamount
to promoting security, peace and friendship in that country,"
Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.
President Ahmadinejad is one smart dude. The people of Iraq will listen
to him long before they'll listen to Bush. Just think, Iran was their
sworn enemy just a few years ago. Now they're offering to fix what Bush
broke - an alliance against us.
Pat
Impeach Bush
http://zzpat.bravehost.com/
Articles of Impeachment
Center for Constitutional Rights
http://zzpat.bravehost.com/april_2006/articles_of_impeachment.html
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