Iran threatens to withdraw help with Iraq security

[sabra]

Source: AFP

TEHRAN -- Iran Thursday threatened to withdraw its help in restoring security in Iraq if the United States continued to seize Iranian officials in the violence-wracked country.

"The Americans should proceed with their next acts thoughtfully and realistically, because, otherwise, Iraq's security situation will worsen, and cause Iran not to cooperate with them in this regard," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said, quoted by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

He was referring to the brief detention by US forces of a group of Iranians, including two diplomats, who were seized in blindfolds and handcuffs from their Baghdad hotel Tuesday night.

The US action came just hours after President George W. Bush labeled Iran the world's leading sponsor of state terrorism, and said he had ordered military chiefs in Iraq to confront Iran's "murderous activities."

Read more: http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070830-083241-2897r

[TwilightGardener]

1. They have us by the short hairs--they could cause even more trouble

over there if they wanted to. What a stupid position of weakness we've put ourselves in, to let Iran have the upper hand. Thanks, Chimpy! Thanks, Dick! Thanks, Neocons! Good plan!

[Nickster]

2. How exactly has Iran helped us?

[TwilightGardener]

3. I don't know that they've helped us at all (although they certainly

seem to be interfering with our troops), but we do need their help in terms of ensuring Iraq's, and the region's, stability and integrity--they are neighbors, and share common interest in what happens in Iraq, and they DO have an influence on the Shia population and Shia government. Unfortunately, we're in a position in which we're simultaneously asking for help with that stabilization through diplomatic channels (meetings with Crocker, etc), and yet threatening military action against them. What a clusterfuck. Monumentally stupid.

[Nickster]

4. I get that, but they are making it out like they are currently helping us in some way.

As if they would pull out of some magic help they are currently offering and cause us terrible circumstances. I'm just wondering what exactly they are threatening to pull out because I'm not seeing anything currently happening. In other words, would we notice if they pulled out their existing help?

[TwilightGardener]

5. Yeah, I think we would notice if they decided to NOT help us, by

causing trouble. They could easily inspire the Shia to agitate or worsen the civil conflict going on, they could make over-the-border troop incursions to steal territory (if they aren't already), they could pull out of any commerce they've already set up in Iraq, they could empower someone like al Sadr to keep provoking anti-American activity and sentiment (remember that he hid out in Iran for a while)--again, it's not that Iran is currently doing us any favors, it's that we've stupidly put ourselves into a position that we have to ASK them to help us, at the same time that they are trying to arm themselves with nukes and sending over explosives to kill our troops.