Iran Fighting Proxy War in Iraq, U.S. Envoy Says

New York Times ^ | April 12, 2008 | Helene Cooper

[freerepublic_or_die]

Iran is engaging in a proxy war with the United States in Iraq, adopting tactics similar to those it has used to back fighters in Lebanon, the United States ambassador to Iraq said Friday.

The remarks by the ambassador, Ryan C. Crocker, reflected the sharper criticism of Iran by President Bush and his top deputies over the past week, as administration officials have sought to trace many of their troubles in Iraq to Iran. Mr. Crocker said in an interview that there had been no substantive change in Iranian behavior in Iraq, despite more than a year of talks between the Bush administration and Iran over how to calm Shiite-Sunni tensions in Iraq. He said that the paramilitary branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps was continuing to direct attacks by Shiite militias against American and Iraqi targets, although he offered no direct evidence. Asked if the United States and Iran were engaged in a proxy war in Iraq, Mr. Crocker said, “I don’t think a proxy war is being waged from an American point of view.” But, he added, “When you look at what the Iranians are doing and how they’re doing it, it could well be that. ” While Bush administration officials have long denounced what they have described as Iran’s meddling in Iraq, Mr. Crocker’s language was unusually strong, reflecting fresh concern about what he described in Congressional testimony this week as Iran’s role in supplying militias with training and weapons, including rockets used in recent attacks on the Green Zone, in Baghdad.

The Bush administration is trying to exploit any crack it can find between the largely Shiite, pro-Iranian government of the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, and Iran’s Shiite government.

[freerepublic_or_die]

The Iranian threat grows stronger every day, with every new geopolitical victory, with every new military strategy they perfect, the Iranians become more and more embolden.
On every level Iran is gearing up for the ultimate confrontation and all that the West can manage to muster is mere hand-wringing and exhortation.

Our options are extremely limited but unless we take a bold stand meaning all-out, no holes barred action against Iran, we will forever rue this day. It is worth repeating again and again and again, ad infinitum ad nauseum; George Santayana: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I would tell Iran that they have exactly seven days to completely disengage and pull out of Iraq or we will commence aerial bombardment of their military installations and will continue same until every military asset in Iran is a smoking wreck.

[Congressman Billybob]

I agree with your citation of Georges Santayana's famous quote about "repeating history." Given the lack of history courses in colleges today, it is likely that none of the reporters attempting to report on the Iran role in the Iraq War are aware of this fact:

The Spanish Civil War before WW II was fought largely as a proxy in tactics and weapons between the Nazis and the Communists. Heck, all of the brushfire conflicts during the Cold War were proxies for the US and the USSR.

When you've studied the histories of prior wars, it is easier to understand who's doing what in current wars. But ignorance is a communicable disease. Ignorant reporters infect their readers and listeners with the disease.

Congressman Billybob

Latest article, "Bitter"? "Clinging to Guns"? No, "Dumb as a Box of Rocks"

Help a Freeper into Congress.

[G8 Diplomat]

The Israelis hate Iran and know an attack isn’t out of the question

The Arabs hate Iran but their armies aren’t very strong

The West hates Iran but takes no action

The Iranians hate the regime but dissidents are jailed and hanged

That covers everyone in the Middle East except the Turks....what is Turkey’s policy toward Iran? The Turks have a great army, best in the ME...

[nhwingut]

Bomb, Bomb, Bomb... Bomb, Bomb Iran!

[uncbob]

This is news ?

Question is how come Bush is allowing American service men and women to be killed and maimed by Iran with NO retaliation

[freerepublic_or_die]

I believe that it was indeed Santayana’s prescience that provided the impetus for ousting Saddam out of Kuwait in the first Gulf War.

[bert]

As long as lawyers control the military and insist on proof beyond any doubt or hint of doubt or wild dreams of doubt, Iran will win.

We are governed by the tyranny of lawyers.

[freerepublic_or_die]

I can hardly blame the president for what has been nothing less than the global apathy, ennui demonstrated worldwide when the President tried drumming up support for a unified geopolitical, military stance against Iran but was snuffed out by the pusillanimous voices such as the laughable report that Iran had abandoned its nuclear ambitions and the chicken-cowards of the EU.

It would be hysterically funny if it were not unfortunately so damnably tragic.

[uncbob]

Forget about the nuclear aspect

If Bush is unwilling to protect the troops he ought to bring them home

[forkinsocket]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1984194/posts

According to this, Turkey is one of only 4 countries that has gotten tougher on Iran lately. It’s also one of only 3 countries in which support for sanctions &/or military strikes on Iran has increased. No Western country is on either of those lists.

I don’t think Turkey will strike Iran unless the Persians get into a war with Azerbaijan over oil reserves or something equally unlikely. They were having problems with Syrian-based terrorism a while back & threatened to invade Syria. The incidents stopped. Possibly Iran could have come to Syria’s defense had Syria not cut it out.

Turkey will allow Israel to use their space to strike Iran though. Azerbaijan (more Turks) too. Judging from the Iraq war, they apparently will not allow America the same.

[G8 Diplomat]

Interesting....thanks.