Posted on 08/07/2007 6:59:16 PM PDT by humint
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will go to Iran today where he will hold talks on August 8 with Iranian officials on economic and political cooperation. The two countries have greatly expanded bilateral relations following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. RFE/RL Iraq analyst Kathleen Ridolfo discusses what al-Maliki hopes to achieve.
RFE/RL: What is the purpose of al-Maliki's visit to Iran?
Kathleen Ridolfo: This is al-Maliki's second visit to Iran since he took office and it comes within the context of bettering political relations and economic relations and -- of course more importantly -- securing relations between Iran and Iraq. Al-Maliki is, of course, a Shi'ite leader and the Shi'ites have very close ties to Iran and so there are a lot of questions in the minds of some observers wondering whether or not this is aimed at colluding or in some way strengthening those ties between the [Iraqi] Shi'ites and the Iranian regime or whether the talks are more general.
RFE/RL: Is this visit connected with the recent Iranian-U.S. talks on Iraq's security? The two sides have already had three sessions where they have discussed security issues, including the creation of a committee aimed at bringing security and stability to the country.
Ridolfo: It's very likely that the talks will come up, as you know some demands were asked of the United States and Iran by the Iraqi government [on August 6], so there was a list of 10 requests that they addressed in terms of security and border control so this will come up in the talks; in addition there will probably be some discussions...[about] internal matters among the Shi'ite parties in Iraq. A delegation from [former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim] al-Ja'fari's Al-Dawah Party already headed to Tehran earlier this week to have meetings with Iranian officials ahead of al-Maliki's visit; so the relationship between al-Maliki and some members of [Al-Dawah]...particularly Ibrahim al-Ja'fari...are quite tense at the moment and there is some question as to whether Iran will intervene in these affairs and try to weigh in on the situation emerging from within the Shi'a parties in Iraq.
RFE/RL: So is al-Maliki looking for Iran to mediate?
Ridolfo: I don't know actually that al-Maliki is looking for Iran to mediate. A delegation did go to Tehran, according to media reports, so someone from within or some elements from within the Al-Dawah party may be looking for Iran to mediate, but at this point it's really unclear who is behind that.
RFE/RL: What is al-Maliki hoping to gain from his talks with Iranian officials?
Ridolfo: Probably some more concrete assurances from the Iranian as far as what they will do toward the security [situation], although generally when we see these talks very little does emerge. In the past when there have been talks between the Iraqi government and the Iranians we see more concrete movement in terms of economic accords but in terms of political accords very little happens.
I want to add that it will be interesting to see what does emerge on the political front between al-Maliki's talks with the Iranians because Wednesday, August 8, is the 19th anniversary of the cease-fire agreement between Iran and Iraq coming out of the eight-year war between the two countries. So it will be quite interesting a) to see if al-Maliki makes a statement about that anniversary, and b) if the anniversary is noted in any other context such as agreements between the two countries in terms of strengthening their relations.
RFE/RL: How would you describe Iran/Iraq relations at this point?
Ridolfo: I would say that the Iraqi government has gone to great lengths to have good relations with Iran because Iran is its neighbor. In fact, [Iraqi] President [Jalal] Talabani has said on several occasions -- most recently over the weekend -- that Iraq has strong ties with Iran and Iraq appreciates the efforts of the Iranians toward promoting better security in Iraq.
That being said, of course Sunni Arabs in Iraq are distrustful of Iran and they are quite concerned with the Iranian involvement in Iraq, as are U.S. forces. If you recall, the second in command of U.S. forces in Baghdad said on [August 5,] that Iranian-trained Shi'ite militias were responsible for 73 percent of the attacks on U.S. forces in Baghdad...in July.
Let me be among the first to call bullsh*t
This Maliki guy is turning out to be a bad egg.
Thankfully General Petraus is not listening to the guy
The key to his would be if the US fills the security void in Basra as the Brits go into their shell. This would be possible if the surge could draw forces from Al Anbar to do the same with leaders in the south. Then kick over Maliki and let the folks representing the new political reality form a new government.
Anyone who did not see this coming when we invaded simply was not thinking.
Time for a new election.
That's what it looks like.
Color be stupid, I thought the Mesopotamians and the Persians were enemys
“Color be stupid, I thought the Mesopotamians and the Persians were enemys”
The Sunni ruling majority in Iraq were enemies with the Persians. Not the majority Shiites who now control. Democracy installs the majority.
Maybe Maliki’s entourage will meet with an “unfortunate” accident on his way back into Iraq...The US has put up with this fool and his treason backstabbing with Al Sadr AND Iran...
Iraq must either make friends w/ Iran, or be prepared to go to war with them, or both.
Iran is behind a great deal of mischief in Iraq, and it would be nice if they agreed to stop it.
While I’m not claiming pure motives, Nixon did go to China, so one can meet their enemy and come away w/ good things.
Yeah, Im familiar with Sadr and his clan.
Give it time. I know people are hating that answer, but it took 11 years to ratify our own constitution.
Iraq isnt doing so badly
He’s reporting to his Masters.
Ahhhhh the halcyon days....
Iran is ripping Iraq apart at its cultural fault lines. Meanwhile we have "Joe Biden" federalists in the U.S. who are foolishly encouraging the Balkanization of Iraq. All one needs to do is look to the national unity that occurred after the Iraqi Soccer team won the Asian Cup. Iraq is fully capable of standing on its own legs, without Iranian interference. If left unchecked, Iran will terrorize the Kurds and Sunnis, pushing them out of Iraq. Mark my words, the Iranians will take the region to war. The only way to make Iraq a friend of Iran is for a great many Iraqis to move out. If U.S. policy in Iraq is anything other than to abandon that beautiful infant nation - I think we should encourage a United Nations delegation to go to Tehran with a gun and demand all of their olive branches. When they offer none, because they have none, what should we do?
War is a terrible way to recycle petroleum dollars. I'd rather the oil oligarchs build a 7* hotel on the moon, or tennis courts on the ocean floor a mile under water. The money could go up in smoke or fulfill wild dreams neither of us have had yet... I look back at 80s economics as incredibly shortsighted and wasteful. Come to think of it, that's exactly what I think of Henry Kissinger.
Dubai's seven-star hotel Silly or sublime? Regardless, the Burj offers exceptional service
It’d be a nice time for the Sunnis and the Kurds to have a little coup. Maybe al Maliki and al Sadr could become bunk buddies in some Tehran slum.
This is where our petro dollars go.
Its not bad enough that the Iraqi government goes on vacation while dozens of our troops die .... but they go to party with the Iranians....
NO more blood for islam
Split it up and Split. Come back with ICBMs.
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