Top general casts doubt on Tehran's link to Iraq militias
munaeem | 14 February, 2007 07:20
Via CNN : Top general casts doubt on Tehran's link to Iraq militias
"Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace appeared Tuesday to question Bush administration assertions that the Iranian government is supplying weapons to Shiite militant groups in Iraq."
"Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace appeared Tuesday to question Bush administration assertions that the Iranian government is supplying weapons to Shiite militant groups in Iraq."
"We know that the explosively formed penetrators are manufactured in Iran," Pace told Voice of America during a trip to Australia about what senior military officials call EFPs.
"What I would not say is that the Iranian government per se knows about this. It is clear that Iranians are involved and it is clear that materials from Iran are involved, but I would not say, based on what I know, that the Iranian government clearly knows or is complicit," Pace said."Three weeks after promising it would show proof of Iranian meddling in Iraq, the Bush administration has laid out its evidence -- and received in return a healthy dose of skepticism.
The response from congressional and other critics speaks volumes about the current state of U.S. credibility, four years after the intelligence controversy leading up to the Iraq war. To pre-empt accusations that the charges against Iran were politically motivated, the administration rejected the idea of a high-level presentation, relying instead on military and intelligence officers to make its case in a background briefing in Baghdad.Even so, critics have been quick to voice doubts.
Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, suggested that the White House was more interested in sending a message to Tehran than in backing up serious allegations with proof.
Sunday's demonstration of the "Iranian trophies" took place in strictest confidence in Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, where the American general headquarters is located. The members of the media who were invited to the presentation were forbidden to take photographs or videos of the objects on display, and no recording devices were allowed.
The journalists were also not informed of the names of the military experts and representatives of the American command in Iraq who spoke at the press conference. However, the organizers of the conference furnished the assembled journalists with illustrated materials about Iran's "subversive role" in Iraq, including CDs with photographs of examples of Iranian weapons that have been used against the American forces in Iraq. The American military spokesmen also pointedly asserted that the Iranian arms on display were only a small portion of the enormous arsenal that was produced in Iran and secretly funneled to Iraq. "There is a vast difference between what we know and what we can show," said one of the army's experts, adding that a more detailed disclosure could play into the hands of Iraqi insurgents.
The response from congressional and other critics speaks volumes about the current state of U.S. credibility, four years after the intelligence controversy leading up to the Iraq war. To pre-empt accusations that the charges against Iran were politically motivated, the administration rejected the idea of a high-level presentation, relying instead on military and intelligence officers to make its case in a background briefing in Baghdad.Even so, critics have been quick to voice doubts.
Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, suggested that the White House was more interested in sending a message to Tehran than in backing up serious allegations with proof.
Sunday's demonstration of the "Iranian trophies" took place in strictest confidence in Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, where the American general headquarters is located. The members of the media who were invited to the presentation were forbidden to take photographs or videos of the objects on display, and no recording devices were allowed.
The journalists were also not informed of the names of the military experts and representatives of the American command in Iraq who spoke at the press conference. However, the organizers of the conference furnished the assembled journalists with illustrated materials about Iran's "subversive role" in Iraq, including CDs with photographs of examples of Iranian weapons that have been used against the American forces in Iraq. The American military spokesmen also pointedly asserted that the Iranian arms on display were only a small portion of the enormous arsenal that was produced in Iran and secretly funneled to Iraq. "There is a vast difference between what we know and what we can show," said one of the army's experts, adding that a more detailed disclosure could play into the hands of Iraqi insurgents.
Comments
Tom | 15/02/2007, 00:16
munaeem | 15/02/2007, 05:40
Tom,
We need incriminating evidence to prosecute a case against Iran. They way American officials conducted the press conference in Baghdad shows that they don't have evidence.
You know Americans invaded Iraq on false pretext and without the endorsement of the UN.
Menu
search
calendar
| « | February 2007 | » | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | ||||
recently...
- California motorcycle injury attorneys
- Get competitive insurance quotes easily
- Find best insurane rates for your car
- Football & Sports Memorabilia
- Israel and Hamas playing games
- credit card debt
- UK strips Mugabe of knighthood
- Do you need help in you essay writing?
- Bolton: Israel will strike Iran if Obama is elected
- Fire Casinos
- Ringtones Factory
- Home improvement loans
- Drug charge against Muhammad Asif dropped
- US drone fires missile in Pakistan
- Are you looking for pure soy candles?
- Business Loans
- Senator Barack Obama supports Israel
- Womens bathing suits
- BackgammonMasters.com wants to set a record of ‘farthest backgammon dice toss.
- Holdem Radar Free Texas Holdem Calculator
- Mothers Day Jewelry
- UK Property Listing Site
- Compare LifeLock and Debix
- Carter meets Hamas leader Khaled Mashal
- Russia to hold ME peace conference
Poll
Categories
Syndicate
A service provided by Al Bawaba
So, Iran doesn't support, finance and arm al-Sadr's malitia, Hezbollah or Hamas! You need a lot more then the two you cite from CNN? It's like quoting a person from Al Jazeera!