Iran: U.S. Playing Afghan "Double Game"

(CBS/AP)  Taking aim at the U.S., Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that it's the United States that is playing a "double game" in Afghanistan, fighting terrorists it once supported.

At a press conference in the Afghan capital, Ahmadinejad was asked to respond to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who earlier in the week accused Tehran of "playing a double game" by trying to have a good relationship with the Afghan government while undermining U.S. and NATO efforts by providing some support to the Taliban.

Tehran has said it supports the Afghan government and denies allegations that it helps the Taliban.

"I believe that they themselves," who are now fighting militants in Afghanistan, "are playing a double game," he said. "They themselves created terrorists and now they're saying that they are fighting terrorists."

Ahmadinejad appeared at a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, but it was the Iranian leader who did most of the talking.

He said terrorists are not best fought on the battlefield, but through the use of intelligence, which does not result in the death of troops or civilians. Ahmadinejad criticized foreign forces and how much money the U.S. and other nations were spending on troops - money that he said would have been better spent on irrigation and other development projects.

"Your country is located on the other side of the world so what are you doing here?" Ahmadinejad asked rhetorically of the U.S. Defense chief's presence in Afghanistan.

CBS News' Fazul Rahim who attended the news conference, says the Iranian leader countered American claims that Tehran was funding the Afghan militants by saying the U.S. was also pouring money into the war-torn country, "and taking it back," suggesting war profiteering motives but offering no evidence.

Karzai himself made a loosely veiled reference to Gates' warning that Tehran would face consequences if it continued its alleged support for militants in Afghanistan.

"We don't let others use Afghanistan against our neighbors," Karzai said, with his neighbor at his side.

Gates had an unusually provocative warning for Tehran on Monday, should the Islamic Republic carry its alleged efforts to help the Taliban too far.

"They also understand that our reaction, should they get too aggressive in this, is not one they would want to think about."

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell later said Gates was referring only to actions the United States might take inside Afghanistan and not to a wider confrontation with Iran.

Karzai hosted Ahmadinejad at the presidential palace before he was scheduled to head to Islamabad for a two-day visit to Pakistan.

Both leaders said Afghanistan and Iran were "brother nations" that have the same national interests and same historical cultural links.

Karzai said Iran was helping and assisting Afghanistan with reconstruction projects, improving education and helping provide electricity. "We are very hopeful that our brother nation of Iran will work with us in bringing peace and security to Afghanistan so that both our countries will be secure," Karzai said.

[shylove2]

Iran is familiar with out anti-democratic initiatives in his country long ago so he probably is not shocked that our democratization of Iraq included the rescue of the national oil company from Iraq in special concessions.
Not so clearly stated however is that Iran's old friend the CIA orchestrated for our Pres. the provocation to lure the Soviet Union into Afghanistan so that the freedom fighters could have their US sponsored field day, Texan millionairess could lobby for the swinging stingers and the Afghan people could suffer 30 some years now of chaos and devastation.

[miami_don]

by brianbwb2011 March 10, 2010 2:02 PM EST
Intelligence is information.

Wisdom, which it seems you lack, because you confuse it with intelligence, is knowing how to do one's best with the information at hand.
_____________

I assume you feel Ahmadinejad (A-MAD-JAR-IN-HEAD) is wise? Everything I have seen makes me believe he is a despot and a fool.

[brianbwb2011]

Wisdom is knowing that belief does not make fact.

It is knowing that everything you have seen is not necessarily everything that there is to see.

It is also understanding that even someone you don't like, can still speak truth.

As far as Ahmadinejad, he does what he feels right for him and his people, not what you presume to dictate what is right for him and his people.

[dwilson59]

I say we NUKE them.

[brianbwb2011]

That is because you have ASPD, and are therefore of unsound mind.

[starving1968-3]

by infantryman1968 March 10, 2010 10:50 AM EST
Only isreali citizens can fly for the IDF. They are tested for their initial screening at the age of 5. Thats why they are the best in the business.

They will get the job done when the time comes hungry1968.






Great.

I'll make popcorn.

[brianbwb2011]

I must give ex-UNOCAL coffee boy Karzai credit, he knows that his US military backup is about to reach it's due date, and so he'd better cozy up to anyone who will help keep the Taliban from turning him into hamburger.

I really cannot say I blame him for wanting to survive, and give him points for knowing that, as always, you cannot always trust your "friends", especially when they are American.

I also cannot blame Ahmadinejad for taking advantage of the situation, which will give them influence over Bush's ex- Caspian Sea pipeline, in exchange for help with the Taliban, which is what the invasion was really about in the first place.

Almost funny, the US won't get the pipeline, and the oil concessions in Iraq went to countries other than us. Now we are broke, didn't get the oil, in debt to the Chinese, our military assets are depleted, and we are in the midst of internal struggle against the ASPD-addled right wing.

Heckuva job there, Bushie.

[reasoned1955]

Slow day at the entitlement shop, eh? I'd ask where you get your intel, but its painfully obvious that its not getting delivered.

[brianbwb2011]

To reasoned

I suppose you want to pay the bill for continued military ops in Afghanistan right? What, you're not paying enough taxes yet?

So what do you think happens when the money for war runs out, and we are forced to choose between continuing an unnecessary war, and our own economy?

Of course you ASPD-afflicted war mongers will choose to collapse the economy, but this time you're outvoted by the sane people.

So no more US troops, and Karzai is left hanging out there with the same people who kicked Russian butt, just waiting for the foreign troops to leave, with a disunited military that doesn't like him anyway.

If you were Karzai, upon whom would you place the greater hope, with an Iran that also doesn't like the Taliban, or with an ASPD-addled warmonger who calls himself reason1955, who is all talk, no action, and no money?

[infantryman1968]

by brianbwb2011 March 10, 2010 10:06 AM EST
The point you miss is that in the case of Afghanistan, Ahmadinejad is the correct one.

The US created, armed, trained, and funded Al-Qaeda ("the database"), a collection of arms smugglers, drug dealers, assassins, mercenaries, and other unsavory types to act as the US proxy in the struggle against Russia.

We supported the Taliban against Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, another monster that the CIA installed to lead Afghanistan, then instantly regretted when Hekmatyar turned out to be a genocidal maniac.

Came to help? That is pure delusion, a refusal to admit wrong that is symptomatic of ASPD.

brianbwb2011

Once again, like hungry1968, you dont tell the entire truth.

The closest legacy to the Mujahideen that you are refering to was the Northern Alliance under Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Your handelers murdered him 2 days before 9-11.

[brianbwb2011]

That changes what?

The CIA still created the "terrorists" Ahmadinejad is still correct, and you still exhibit symptoms of ASPD, choosing to ignore the role the US played in creating the problems.

Your opinion of what is "closest" is irrelevant, US money, US arms, and US training created Al-Qaeda.

[wolf563]

Iran left its uranium above ground for a month and turned its back on it. This allowed terrorists access to the matterial to build dirty bombs . Iran will say they are not involved in supporting terrorism and will say the funds are for food or other developments and not for supporting terrorists . Iran has 2 armies with 1 that is under the gov. control . The other controls the country but not the people . They have more than 1 police force but only 1 reports directly to the gov. Iran has shown that it has 2 faces and more than one agenda . Iran`s time in the spotlight has run its course and the end is in sight .

[brianbwb2011]

So how many "dirty bombs" have gone off? If the "terrorists" have "accessed" the material, then why have there been no "dirty explosions" to date?

So much for your point there, as for the rest, substitute the term "US" for Iran, and you will be much closer to the truth of your own guilt, for helping spread lies, and supporting lie-based war-mongering.

It is called ASPD, and you have it bad.

[cbsblogger]

$200 oil will be very helpful to our economic recovery.

[starving1968-3]

by 50BMS13 March 10, 2010 5:23 AM EST
Start bombing Iran's nuclear sites NOW!







Go ahead.

Fly to Israel, enlist in the IDF, learn to fly planes, and get to work.

Unless of course you're "all talk, and no action"......

[brianbwb2011]

All the ASPD-afflicted war mongers are, as you say, "all talk and no action".

Want to have more fun?

Ask them if they will accept increased taxation to pay for their folly.

[infantryman1968]

Only isreali citizens can fly for the IDF. They are tested for their initial screening at the age of 5. Thats why they are the best in the business.

They will get the job done when the time comes hungry1968.

[starving1968-3]

by liberalornot March 10, 2010 7:38 AM EST
We will have to have a war against the best friends that IRAN has, Democrats in the United States. When North Korea was building a Peaceful Nuclear Program, Democrats defended their rights more than anyone in the world, right up until the time North Korea exploded their first peaceful atomic bomb. Now the Democrats are doing the same for IRAN. Who is the enemy of America?






North Korea AND Iran, BOTH gained nuclear capabilities while the republicans were in charge of BOTH houses of congress and the white house. The democrats WERE NOT in charge, nor did they set "diplomatic policy" for the United States during that time frame.

Unfortunately we were too tied up chasing unnecessary BS in Iran, to pay attention the rest of the world.

I guess you'll change your political stripe, now that you know the facts, right?

[jayrh]

Iran hasn't acheived nuclear capability yet... North Korea's program was started under Republican rule but they didn't have a bomb until Obama. At least, they didn't test it until Obama. So, what are you talking about exactly???