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June 17, 2013
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Visit Trumpets Iran’s Power in IraqPosted on Mar 3, 2008
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared Monday in The Independent. The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made an unprecedented visit to Baghdad yesterday, demonstrating Iran’s powerful influence in Iraq since the US overthrew Saddam Hussein five years ago. In contrast to President George Bush’s furtive visits to US military bases in Iraq, Mr Ahmadinejad’s delegation seemed to take pleasure in pre-announcing the two-day visit, landing at Baghdad airport in daylight and driving by road to the Green Zone. The Iranian leader met first with the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani just outside the Green Zone and later held a joint press conference with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Rejecting the American allegation that Iran is arming Iranian-controlled units of the Mehdi Army Shia militia which attack US forces, Mr Ahmadinejad said: “We tell Mr Bush that accusing others will increase the problems of America in the region and will not solve them. The Americans have to understand the facts of the region. Iraqi people do not like America.” Iran was delighted to see the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, who had invaded Iran in 1980 and fought a bloody eight-year war against it, by the US in 2003. It was also very pleased to see its fellow Shia, some 60 per cent of the Iraqi population, take power in elections in 2005. In contrast to Iraq’s Sunni Arab neighbours, Iran supports the present government in Baghdad. Advertisement It is true that Iran wants Iraq to stay united under a government led by the religious parties, all of whom have links to Tehran fostered during years of exile. Iran is also determined that Iraq should never become a platform for the US from which attacks can be made on Iran. But while Iran officially wants the US to leave Iraq, the presence of an 150,000-strong American army next door to Iran places a powerful card in Iranian hands. Any US military action against Iran would lead to Iranian retaliation using its many allies inside Iraq. It is unlikely, despite Mr Ahmadinejad’s words yesterday, that Iran ever wants Iraq to again be a powerful state capable of fighting Iran. The Iraqi government has long been trying to foster better relations between Tehran and Washington, though with only limited success. The US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has made clear that he is opposed to a US military assault on Iran, thereby easing relations between the two states. The National Intelligence Estimate, the collective wisdom of the American intelligence agencies, cut the ground from under the feet of hawks in the administration by saying last December that Iran had ceased its efforts to develop a nuclear bomb. There were scattered demonstrations in Sunni Arab parts of Iraq yesterday against the Iranian leader’s visit. The Sunni community is deeply suspicious of the influence of Iran over the government of Mr Maliki, whom many Sunnis see as an Iranian pawn. Iran retains nuclear weapons ambitions and there is a “strong possibility” it could be in a position to quickly make a nuclear bomb by 2015, [Britain’s] parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee said yesterday. In a report, the committee said sanctions were unlikely to persuade Iran to halt work that could be aimed at building nuclear weapons, and that a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities was also unlikely to work. It urged Britain to press Washington to talk to Tehran directly about its nuclear programme. New and Improved CommentsIf you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy. |
By A Khokar, March 5, 2008 at 5:21 am Link to this comment
I bear repeating that with what ever the cleverness, the corporate western media portrays and try to articulate the case of ‘Global war on Terrorism’ and hike up the flimsy pretexts to invade the sovereign countries like Iraq and Iran in the Middle East; it is bound to meet its failures and end up in desperation and frenzy for the Oppressing forces. The myth of terrorism has no future and bears no ethical grounds to stand on. It is only by the vile choices of few assailants; the big wicks like United States with their vicious designs and evil choices; aiming at siphoning the resources of this area to run their own economies through deceit and fallacy.
Iran stands as our old teacher on this planet; who once ornamented the old civilisations with the knowledge in the fields of medicine, physic, chemistry, mathematics and sciences that present day advancement in technology and sciences; the entire west so proudly relishes the achievements; all helms on that old teacher.
But we see that the same benefactors; the West is all out to restrain the old teacher to even think of benefiting from the harvest that it once sowed so earnestly for the mankind. It is being deprived off and is debarred for being in a frail and in a state; devoid of possessing any potent deterrent; because his Resolve of a wise teacher and the adopted ethics (then) did not pursue him enough to think and let grow the thorns along the stems of its fragrant roses to ward off the would be assailants.
But Old is Gold; and who has ever been successful in robbing of knowledge, wisdom and out smart their old teachers? The history of this planet does not support this.
Report this————————————-
Love for all, Hatred for none
By PatrickHenry, March 4, 2008 at 3:01 pm Link to this comment
So it was Israel who declared war?
Report thisBy Expat, March 4, 2008 at 10:44 am Link to this comment
^ have a gift. LOL, your post was great. Humor is sadly missing in our dower times. When will this insanity end?
Report thisBy Maani, March 4, 2008 at 9:11 am Link to this comment
Gomerspile:
“Maanis words poorer, but charming, kind, and well-mannered is getting the attention they think they deserve. They sure sound like it..”
Those are Non Credo’s words, not mine.
Peace.
Report thisBy Leefeller, March 4, 2008 at 8:48 am Link to this comment
you are such a typical liberal.as you stated and Liberal Bias as the people like Limbaugh use to insult people who disagree with their words of wisdom. I didnt say Gomer you are a pile did I? If I did I apologize. Name calling is something I am trying to give up. Actually, seems you were doing the name calling, using the typical liberal comment.
Report thisYour Shit Hit the Fan comment is so enlightened, if my memory serves me, was not Katrina, in the Shit hitting the fan category? Our government selects what fits the mold not us. Money and Oil may be a part of the Shit Hitting the Fan department. Maybe before Bush leaves office he can create another great federal department, and tie it in with the Homeland Insecurity Department, yeh “The Shit Hitting the Fan Department”.
By PatrickHenry, March 4, 2008 at 4:09 am Link to this comment
Hardly. Not what his peers think.
http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/cin_mccainfiles.htm
Report thisBy redhound, March 3, 2008 at 11:33 pm Link to this comment
Typical Liberal? They serve their country. Conserative republicans and the neocons are all talk and no action. Outside of McCain , what republican leaders and right wing pundits served with honor in the American Armed Forces. Don’t even think of considering AWOL President Bush.
Report thisBy PatrickHenry, March 3, 2008 at 5:42 pm Link to this comment
The current one we have sucks.
How much more of a clue does Bush need to see we don’t belong “over there” anymore.
Report thisBy Leefeller, March 3, 2008 at 4:14 pm Link to this comment
We need protection from those keepers of integrity and accountability in our own government. How about our human rights. Iran has every right to exist. Demonizing is what the Whitehouse does on a regular basis, all one has to be a demon of ill repute is not be a minion. When the shit hits the fan? It already has.
The shit hitting the fan, now I know why I spent 13 months in Vietnam, glad you cleared that up for me.
Liberal bias is Colter mentality Gomer, Iran is a country of people who want to live their lives in peace, maybe religion likes to shove self rightous ignorance down peoples throats, but they all do that.
Report thisBy ekdar, March 3, 2008 at 3:46 pm Link to this comment
By Maani, March 3 at 8:31 am
Sure, you can get up on a soapbox on any streetcorner and rail against Bush and the government all you like. But if you are completely ignored by everyone (the government, the media, etc.) other than a few passersby, you are a victim of stifling of dissent no less than if you had been arrested for it.
Now you’re starting to sound dangerously like Cyrena.
If you stand on a streetcorner and voice your opinions and people ignore you, it more than likely means nobody cares what you think or have to say. It means you have a bad argument. Do you expect the government to give you your own talk show?
“you are a victim of stifling of dissent no less than if you had been arrested for it” - GET REAL
If you talk to me but I choose not to listen, am I “stifling your dissent” or simply choosing what I do not care to listen to?
This is really too funny.
Report thisBy ekdar, March 3, 2008 at 3:41 pm Link to this comment
“you will more than likely be at the front of the line demanding the Bad ole US of A, protect you”
It’s always that way.
You might also demand that he find an American Indian and deed over his house and car. You know, justice for the oppressed and all that. What do you think the chances of that happening are?
Report thisBy lastdaywatchers, March 3, 2008 at 1:34 pm Link to this comment
The article “Visit Trumpets Irans Power in Iraq”
Is more proof of the accuracy of the May 15th Prophecy here are excerpts of what the May 15th prophecy been saying all along
From the post titled “The Fall of Lebanon, The Lie and The Spirit of Iniquity
“
“It is the Spirit of Iniquity that continue to uplift the Ummah and reduse the “moderate Sunni Muslim”.
It doesn’t matter that the Sunni outnumber the Shia 10 time over or the fact that they have the backing and help of the United States.
they will not be able to stop the influence that is emitting out of Iran, which is the Spirit of Iniquity by the Son of Satan.
It is that same spirit that made Alexander the Great a God to the point that even to this day he is consider the Greatest of all conqueror”
Also from the post titled “Iran and The 3 Horns, No European Roman Revival
“
“Iran is the Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the
glory of the kingdom chapter 11 verse 20
That a description of the monarchy rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran
He shall be destroyed, neither in anger nor in battle verse 20
That a description of his fall to the revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini to replace the monarchy with a Islamic Republic controled by the mallahs.
It is that religious mallah government rule that Daniel is refering to when he says
And in his estate shall stand up a vile person
That vile person is the Anti-Christ
And just like he did with Alexander the Great he will do with Anti-Christ by starting off in one place before moving his capital and headquarters to Iraq.
He will do this through the “estate” of the religious Iranian mullah government position (now occupied by Ayatollah Khamenei) when he comes as the Hidden Imam.
“
For more just go to
Report thishttp://lastdaywatchers.blogspot.com
By Marshall, March 3, 2008 at 11:50 am Link to this comment
Which is the why no US President will fully withdraw from Iraq. This is what McCain was referring to with his much maligned “100 years” comment - a presence just like Japan or Europe maintained to ensure stability and provide quick reaction when necessary. There is no imminent U.S. departure, nor should there be.
Report thisBy Marshall, March 3, 2008 at 11:44 am Link to this comment
<<The National Intelligence Estimate… cut the ground from under the feet of hawks in the administration by saying last December that Iran had ceased its efforts to develop a nuclear bomb.>>
Funny how NIEs become the friend of the left as soon as they’re in agreement. I think the hawks have done a pretty good job of accepting this NIEs findings while attempting to maintain an effective posture that makes clear the west will not accept a nuclear armed Iran.
Report thisBy weather, March 3, 2008 at 10:40 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
a jar of Vaseline, another invoice for $$Billions and a inexhaustable supply of problems we never had before - all very carefully presented and packaged as if they’ve been doing us a big favor all along.
Report thisBy GW=MCHammered, March 3, 2008 at 10:22 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
That’s how the news media last night labeled Ahmadinejad’s Iraq visit: Provocative - Unprecedented.
Hmm. Really? Just who controls the skies over war-ridden Iraq? Oh yeah, we do! And the media wants us to believe Iran can fly into Baghdad at anytime without American fighter threat or escort away?
Sheeple…
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 3, 2008 at 9:53 am Link to this comment
http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/145/the_ray_gun
Report thisBy Maani, March 3, 2008 at 9:31 am Link to this comment
Gomerspile:
“All he did was speak out, good thing you cant do that in the Bad ole USA,right maani?”
Ther are two ways of stifling dissent. One is through coercion (e.g., law enforcement). This is the method used by dictators, etc., and governments moving toward proto-totalitarianism. A good example of this here in the “bad ole’ U.S. of A.” is the recent tasering of Andrew Meyer, a student at University of Florida who did nothing more than ask a “dissenting” question of John Kerry. And this is not an isolated incident. And while there are admittedly far fewer of these types of incidents here than in other countries, they are growing, and you would be naive to think that it will not get worse - particularly if the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Act is passed into law.
The second way of stifling dissent is simply to ignore it. This is how it is done here. (And if stifling doesn’t work, the government and media can and do resort to character assassination; e.g., calling you a “kook” or “nut” or whatever.)
Sure, you can get up on a soapbox on any streetcorner and rail against Bush and the government all you like. But if you are completely ignored by everyone (the government, the media, etc.) other than a few passersby, you are a victim of stifling of dissent no less than if you had been arrested for it.
Peace.
Report thisBy Robert, March 3, 2008 at 9:14 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Those who doubted that Bush would have to scramble to survive this second, and final, term in power are getting a taste of the darkest of realities. Bush has bullseyes all over him and his administration. That Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would show him up was never in doubt by those of us who realized Bush simply was never up to solving the problem, only exacerbating it further. Iraqis are not stupid and they know that Iran represents their future, while the U.S. represents the darkness and the theft of all their natural resources. Very soon, they will demand we leave and the Bush plan will be exposed for what it was, the worst foreign policy fiasco in our history.
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 3, 2008 at 8:52 am Link to this comment
By Expat, March 3: “It should also be noted that…. not one Arab leader has visited Iraq. The significance? Iraq is Arab and Iran is Persian…”
This is the reality which has existed for millenia in one of the most ancient regions of the civilized world. These people are neighbors and neither the ravings of the USA nor the screamings of Israel will ever change anything. Read, learn and understand….....
Karbala ...is a city in Iraq, located about 100 km (60 mi) southwest of Baghdad…. Shi’a Muslims consider Karbala to be one of their holiest cities after Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem and Najaf… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karbala
Karbala is a holy city for Iraqi Shia because it holds the shrine of the martyred Imam Husayn ibn Ali, whose death here in 680 and the subsequent conflict over succession of the caliphate distinguished the Shia from the Sunni sects of Islam. Karbala is also the site of the holy shrine to Husayn’s brother, Abbas…. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/karbala.htm
The events of Karbala reflect the collision of the good versus the evil, the virtuous versus the wicked, the collision of Imam Husain (the head of virtue) versus Yazid (the head of impiety). Al-Husain was a revolutionary person, a righteous man, the religious authority, the Imam of Muslim Ummah. As the representative of his grandfather Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Imam Husain’s main concern was to safeguard and protect Islam and guide fellow Muslims. On the other hand, the staying power of the rulers (Mu’awiya and his son Yazid) depended solely on the might of the sword. They used brute force to rule over the Muslim empire even by all possible illicit means…. http://www.al-islam.org/short/Karbala.htm
Report thisBy Maani, March 3, 2008 at 7:14 am Link to this comment
Actually, while it is likely that the Western media (particularly here in the bad ole’ U.S. of A.) will spin this as negative (perhaps even a “dangerous” sign), it would seem that this type of official “diplomatic” overture is far better than a more aggressive, even quasi-militaristic one. It may even signal that Ahmadinejad, unlike others in the region, truly understands the writing on the wall re the imminent U.S. departure; i.e., that he has a chance to help provide stability when there is highly likely to be an increase in strife.
I realize this might be hopelessly idealistic. However, Ahmadinejad can either sit back and watch Iraq tear itself apart when we leave (assuming the Iraqi government does not coalesce more quickly) - which would obviously have a serious effect on Iran vis-a-vis the Sunni v. Shia tensions that are bound to worsen - or he can step in now, play the “hero” (and, as an added bonus, get “good press” for it), and do what he can to help Iraq toward greater stability.
Of course, only time will tell.
Peace.
Report thisBy waxman, March 3, 2008 at 6:45 am Link to this comment
I DID NOT KNOW CYRENA WAS AMERICAN INDIAN.. AT LEAST SHE WROTE THAT IN A RECENT POST.. I THOUGHT SHE WAS AFRIKAN-AMERICAN..NO MATTER, SHE WILL HAVE A OPINION ON THIS SOON..
Report thisBy Expat, March 3, 2008 at 4:55 am Link to this comment
^ not one Arab leader has visited Iraq. The significance? Iraq is Arab and Iran is Persian. Even our own fearless leader sneaks in and out and has never spent one night in Iraq. Ahmadinejad is spending two days there. So the worm turns.
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