Bush Warns Iran Over Afghanistan

AP ^ | 1/10/02 | SANDRA SOBIERAJ

[truthandlife]

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush, in a blunt warning to Iran, said Thursday the U.S.-led coalition ``will deal with them diplomatically, initially'' if Tehran tries to destabilize war-torn Afghanistan.

Bush delivered the statement as administration officials fretted over reports that Iran is trying to challenge the authority of the interim government in Kabul, Afghanistan, and may be giving safe harbor to al-Qaida terrorist leaders fleeing U.S. and allied military troops there.

``Iran must be a contributor in the war against terror,'' Bush told reporters after an Oval Office meeting on domestic issues. ``Our nation, in our fight against terrorism, will uphold the doctrine of either you're with us or against us.''

He said Iran, which gave the United States ``positive signals'' of cooperation early on, must not ``allow al-Qaida murderers to hide in their country'' and must hand over any who have already slipped across the Iranian border.

``If they're a part of the coalition, they need to be an active member of the coalition,'' Bush said.

As for the long-term goal of stability in Afghanistan, where a transitional government rules, Bush said the United States wants to work with the Iranians.

``If they in any way, shape, or form try to destabilize the government, the coalition will deal with them, you know, in diplomatic ways, initially,'' Bush said.

``It's to their advantage, by the way, that Afghanistan be stable.''

[Asclepius]

``It's to their advantage, by the way, that Afghanistan be stable.''

And that JDAMs do not fall on their tightly-turbaned heads.

[McGavin999]

The clerics in Iran are playing a dangerous game here. They are already having a problem with hanging onto power since most of their young people want to westernize and are pretty fed up with the stringent rulings of the clerics. By inviting in terrorists, they're making a huge mistake.

[Rokke]

They certainly don't seem to have much to gain. They'll end up losing face internationally, and even fundamentalist Muslims don't seem too eager to fall in line behind the Al Quaeda mob. There is nothing in Afghanistan worth exploiting, and the refugee problem isn't a problem if you do the Iranian thing and just close your borders.

Having said all that, as long as we're cleaning up Southwest Asia, we might as well sweep Iran into the dustpile.

[Cicero]

On top of everything else, the Iranian clerics are Shiites, and the terrorists are virtually all Sunni Muslims. What possible interest can they have in extending hospitality to traditional rivals and enemies?