Iran: U.S. Presence Is Iraq's Main Problem

Supreme Leader Lays Out Opposition To U.S. Security Pact For Visiting Iraqi PM

(AP)  Iran's supreme leader told the visiting Iraqi prime minister Monday that the U.S. military presence is the main cause of Iraq's problems, according to Iranian state television, making clear his opposition to a U.S.-Iraqi security pact.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's talks with Iranian leaders during his three-day visit here have focused on the proposed security agreement that Iran fears will keep the American military in neighboring Iraq for years.

Al-Maliki has tried to push Iranian leaders to back off their fierce opposition to the proposed pact, promising that Iraq will not be a launching pad for any attack on Iran.

But the agreement has become a point of contention as Baghdad tries to balance its close ties to rivals Washington and Tehran.

Iran, which has repeatedly said the way to end instability in Iraq is for U.S. forces to withdraw, believes the proposed pact could lead to permanent U.S bases on its doorstep amid fears of an eventual American attack.

"Occupiers who interfere in Iraq's affairs through their military and security might ... are the main problems," Iran's state television quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying Monday.

Khamenei said Iraqis have to "think of a solution to free" themselves from the U.S. military. Though he did not explicitly mention the security agreement, he said Iraqis - not Americans - must decide the fate of their country.

"That a foreign element gradually interferes in all Iraqi affairs and expands its domination on all aspects of life is the main obstacle in the way of progress and prosperity of the Iraqi nation," the TV quoted Khamenei as saying.

Khamenei, who has the final say in Iran over government decisions, said the U.S. will fail to achieve its goals in Iraq.

"We are certain that the Iraqi people, through unity and effort, will get past these difficult conditions. For sure, America's dream for Iraq will not come true," Khamenei was quoted as telling al-Maliki.

Al-Maliki's visit to Tehran, his second this year, appeared aimed at getting Iran to tone down its opposition and ease criticism within Iraq. Followers of anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr - who has close ties to Tehran - have held weekly protests in Iraq against the deal.

The proposed security pact also faces strong criticism from members of al-Maliki's own Shiite-dominated coalition.

Two Iraqi officials familiar with the negotiations warned on Sunday that a deal is unlikely to be reached before the end of President Bush's term in January unless Washington backs off some demands seen as giving American forces too much freedom to operate in Iraq and infringing on Iraqi sovereignty. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy surrounding the negotiations.

Though both Iraq and Iran are Shiite-majority countries, the two were hostile to each other throughout Saddam Hussein's regime. Their eight-year war after Saddam invaded Iran in 1980 cost about 1 million lives.

But when Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime fell and Iraq's Shiite majority took power after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, long-standing ties between the Shiites of both countries improved, though the two neighbors have yet to sign a peace treaty.

[petro49l]

Bin Laden and his wife Zawahiri are accused murderers and conspirators against civilization. They are nature''s aberrations. The two collude and attack innocents all over the world. Why support two bed time partners? They are worthless scum and felons. No jail is safe with them inside.

[vietnam21]

Which country do you want to bomb ??? There are at least 4 or 5 around Afhganistan not including Iraq who opposes our occupation.

Posted by j-whitman

My point was sometime is take a little war to end the bigger war to prevent the Billions of death.

[crapdetector]

It is a sad day when Ahmadinejad is right and Bush is the aggressor.

[j-whitman]

vietnam21,,, Yes the nuclear bomb forced Japan to surrender, but this isn''t WW2 and Wars of Agression are against international conventions as well as US policies.

Which country do you want to bomb ??? There are at least 4 or 5 around Afhganistan not including Iraq who opposes our occupation.

[vietnam21]

But, never never a War of Agression as the GOP''''s War of Roses in Iraq, a needless War of Choice.... Hitler tried that, it didn''''t work in his favor.


Posted by j-whitman at 10:40 PM

I hope you all remember WWII we use nuclear bom to end the war, yes it is nasty but think about it if we don''t BILLIONS of people will die, Japanese already kill MILLIONS Korean and Millions SEXSLAVE, Millions Chinese, Millions Vietnamese , so dou think war is the answer ????Thank you America for stopping the WWII

[j-whitman]

Go Dennis Go Dennis --- Kucinich is introducing a 35 count indictment against Bush

[feelfree4u]

Another interesting one:

"The Secret War Against Iran"

"A Pakistani tribal militant group responsible for a series of deadly guerrilla raids inside Iran has been secretly encouraged and advised by American officials since 2005..."

"Jundullah has produced its own videos showing Iranian soldiers and border guards it says it has captured and brought back to Pakistan."

"The leader, Regi, claims to have personally executed some of the Iranians."

"He used to fight with the Taliban. He''s part drug smuggler, part Taliban, part Sunni activist," said Alexis Debat, a senior fellow on counterterrorism at the Nixon Center and an ABC News consultant who recently met with Pakistani officials and tribal members."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/04/abc_news_exclus.html

[j-whitman]

FeelFree4U,,, Yep, shame isn''t it --- The GOP''s Presidential nominee has misslead our nation with his Islamofobia & zionism ---- Old Cold War neocons like McCain should be locked up

[feelfree4u]

j-whitman,

Re: "...like Afhganistan who needs another 10,000 American troops..."

Here is an interesting article on that topic:

"400,000 Troops needed For Afghanistan"

www.atlargely.com/2008/06/400000-troops-n.html

"No, that''s not a typo. The outgoing US commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan says it would require 400,000 troops to secure that country."

[j-whitman]

vietnam21,,,, Iran isn''t our main problem inspite of the lies McCain''s told you on it - It''s Pakistan as I warned many of you on this board months ago about.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Pakistani intelligence agents and paramilitary forces have helped train Taliban insurgents and have given them information about American troop movements in Afghanistan, said a report published Monday by the Rand Corp. the defense agency Both Bush & McCain ignored on Iraq

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080609/ap_on_re_as/afghan_pakistan;_ylt=AjWHeRYLX4SfjGaHgTguva2s0NUE

[j-whitman]

vietnam21,,,, Sometimes war is necessary, like Afhganistan who needs another 10,000 American troops & trillions dumped into their economy.

Like a War with Pakistan McCain is asleep on, who trains & funds Taliban forces within their borders.

But, never never a War of Agression as the GOP''s War of Roses in Iraq, a needless War of Choice.... Hitler tried that, it didn''t work in his favor.

[vietnam21]

sometime war is an answer.

[vietnam21]

My last commentwas meant as a joke. I went for an eye exam at Lackland Air Force Base. A beautiful young lady did the exam and i noticed a very slight accent. I asked her where she was from and she said Iran. She was very professional and i was impressed with her. She is the only Iranian i have met so far, but she left a favorable impression. I think we should try sitting down and talking with these different countries. War has never accomplished anything , maybe negotiations would work.


Posted by patriot12436

Do you know she is a hairy person.

[j-whitman]

patriot12436,,,, Go watch the movie again, Charlton Heston spoke to God a burning Bush not Jesus.

[iamauto]

He''s telling the truth.
It''s impossible for Iran to attack U.S.
Then why do we intervene into their business. I''m sure they''re quite upset about this.

[patriot12436]

My last commentwas meant as a joke. I went for an eye exam at Lackland Air Force Base. A beautiful young lady did the exam and i noticed a very slight accent. I asked her where she was from and she said Iran. She was very professional and i was impressed with her. She is the only Iranian i have met so far, but she left a favorable impression. I think we should try sitting down and talking with these different countries. War has never accomplished anything , maybe negotiations would work.

[patriot12436]

shingles1
For it to work in Iran it would have to be gay porn.

[patriot12436]

jwhitman
Does this mean Charlton Heston was wrong when he made the movie ?

[patriot12436]

jwhitman
Jesus didn''t give the ten commandments to Moses ?

[patriot12436]

young america
You are so naive. No matter what we do Iraq will continue to have war as it has for centuries. They know nothing else. We gain nothing by beng there and they do not want us there. We cannot afford to be theree. We have enough problems to deal with here at home. If we don''t do something fast we will have our own war to deal with . When people cannot feed their families they will revolt, even in America.