Posted on 01/11/2007 7:19:29 PM PST by mdittmar
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran that the United States won't "stand idly by" if Tehran tries to disrupt Washington's renewed effort to stabilize Iraq.
Speaking hours after US troops detained six Iranians in a raid in northern Iraq, Rice said Washington was determined to crack down on Iran's "regional aggression."
Rice declined to comment specifically on the operation in the northern city of Arbil, which came shortly after President George W. Bush announced a new US strategy to end the violence in Iraq that included stepped up moves to counter Iranian and Syrian involvement in the country.
In a spate of television interviews and testimony in Congress to defend the new Bush plan for Iraq, Rice declined repeatedly to rule out US military action against Iran -- accused by the administration of supporting anti-US insurgents and Shiite radicals in Iraq and of trying to develop nuclear weapons.
"I don't want to speculate on what operations the United States may be engaged in, but you will see that the United States is not going to simply stand idly by and let these activities continue," she said in one interview.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have soared since Bush in 2002 branded Iran part of an "axis of evil" alongside Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
Last year, Washington pushed successfully for UN sanctions against Iran in a bid to halt its uranium enrichment program, which the US says is aimed at producing nuclear weapons while Iranians say they only want to make atomic energy.
In Wednesday's speech, Bush fed fears of possible US military strikes on Iran by announcing the deployment of an additional aircraft carrier group to the Gulf and the supply of Patriot anti-missile systems to nearby allies.
"We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq," he said.
Rice defended the Gulf military deployments as needed to assure US allies they "have the defense capacity that they need against a growing Iranian military buildup."
She also said Bush in his speech was referring to taking action against Iranian and Syrian operatives inside Iraq.
"Obviously, the president isn't going to rule anything out to protect our troops, but the plan is to take down these networks in Iraq," she said.
Democratic Senator Joe Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a fierce critic of the Iraq war, warned Rice that Congress -- controlled by the opposition since November elections -- would intervene if Bush turned his sights on Iran.
"I believe the present authorization granted the president to use force in Iraq does not cover (Iran) and he does need congressional authority" to order military strikes against that country, he said.
In her testimony, Rice also reaffirmed the Bush administration's refusal to open a dialogue with Iran on stabilizing Iraq, as strongly recommended last year by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group and many foreign policy experts.
She said the Iranians would seek in any such talks to obtain concessions in the standoff over its nuclear program in exchange for help in Iraq.
"That's not diplomacy, that's extortion," she said.
Bush critics jumped on the latest Iraq measures as signs of a looming new conflict with Iran.
Bush "appears to be setting the stage for a wider war in the region," said Democratic congressman Dennis Kucinich. "Isn't one war enough for this president?"
"The worst possible scenario in this crisis is the breakout of an armed confrontation between Washington and Tehran, said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center, adding that such action would "have serious security ramifications for the region".
US military officials meanwhile confirmed that six Iranians were arrested in Arbil on suspicion of "activities targeting Iraq and coalition forces".
Last month US forces detained two Iranian nationals suspected of weapons smuggling in Baghdad, but they were later released.
Regrettably, their frigen brains are far from being beaten in. The rules of engagement ought not be PC.
Believe me. I understand your sentiments. I had a nephew in the Marine Corps twice in Iraq. And he almost bought the farm a few times. I gotta hit the rack. Have a great upcoming day.
agree with your post.
Since W, Lebanon went from Syria control back to Lebanese control, with NATO? now assisting the legitimate government in taking on Hezzbola.
Add it all up and its quite a achievement for W against our foreign enemies.
This has been the problem with Republicans since I can remember. They have the facts on their side, yet they fail to articulate their arguments time after time after time. We need leaders who will take the argument to the left in this country and expose them for what they are. Enemies of the United States have no better allies than Murtha, Kennedy, Clinton, Reid, Biden, Obama, Durbin and Pelosi... to name just a few.
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