Friday, August 20, 2004
AP laps up Iranian propaganda
AP unquestioningly reports that Iran is "concerned" about the violence in Najaf, and that Iran wants a stable Iraq.
In his conversation with OIC chief Badawi, who is also Malaysia's prime minister, Khatami said the Iraqi interim government was facing a difficult situation in Najaf and that Iran was interested in seeing a stable Iraq.
"Allowing these conditions to continue and keeping silent in the face of these events will create grater problems for us," Khatami warned.
It was unclear if a meeting would be held, but Iran's call reflects the growing concern in the Middle East over violence in Iraq and, in particular, Najaf.
I mean, what is there to question? Why wouldn't Iran want peace in Iraq? I mean, the Iranian government is just full of well-meaning, nice people, right?
Yes, Iran would just love to see a democratic, peaceful ally of the United States on its Western border. That would go nicely with American allies Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan, not to mention Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and India.
George Bush to Ayatollah Khamenei: "We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up!"
Of course, that's exactly what Iran doesn't want. That's why the Iraqi government believes Iran is helping create the chaos with secret meddling backing Al Sadr.
The recent declaration by Iraqi Defense Minister Hazim Shalan al-Khuzai that Iran is the "first enemy" focuses renewed attention on Baghdad's relations with Tehran. In an interview this week with the Washington Post, Khuzai also accused Iran of taking over some Iraqi border posts and sending spies and saboteurs to destabilize the country.
Nourizadeh said that although Tehran officially supports stability in Iraq, he believes Iran's Revolutionary Guards and its own security agencies have their own agendas and are acting in contradiction of the official line.
Nourizadeh pointed out that the presence of US troops in Iraq worries Iran and complicates its relations with Iraq. He said Iran faced a difficult geopolitical situation, with US troops also based in neighboring Afghanistan.
Even more, he said, Iran was afraid Iraq might eventually become a democratic and secular state. "I don't think that by just removing Americans from Iraq, the problem between Iran and the new government of Iraq will be solved," Nourizadeh said. "No. The Iranian regime [will be] unhappy to see a secular, prosperous, federal Iraq near Iran."
