Bush's tough tactics are a 'declaration of war' on Iran
By Anne Penketh, Diplomatic Editor
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle2145136.ece
Published: 12 January 2007
American forces stormed Iranian government offices in northern Iraq,
hours after President George Bush issued a warning to Tehran that was
described as a "declaration of war".
The soldiers detained six people, including diplomats, according to the
Iranians, and seized documents and computers in the pre-dawn raid which
was condemned by Iran. A leading UK-based Iran specialist, Ali Ansari,
said the incident was an "extreme provocation". Dr Ansari said that Mr
Bush's speech on future Iraq strategy amounted to "a declaration of
war" on Iran.
"The risk is a wider war. Because of the underlying tensions, we are
transferring from a 'cold war' into a 'hot war'," he said.
In his speech, the President accused Iran and Syria of providing
material support for attacks on US troops, and vowed to stop the "flow
of support" from across the border. "We will seek out and destroy the
networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in
Iraq," he said.
Dr Ansari argued that the Bush administration had decided to confront
Iran at a time when public opinion has been focused on the conflicts in
Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. "There's been a shift of emphasis
without anyone noticing," he said.
"Moderate" Sunni Arab states who feel threatened by the rise of Shia
Iran, thanks to its influence in Iraq and its refusal to curb its
nuclear programme, could be expected to back the Bush approach, he
said. The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, is due to visit
Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia this week.
Until now, the Bush administration had been content to deal with the
perceived Iranian threat diplomatically. The United Nations adopted
sanctions against Tehran on 23 December. However, the economic measures
adopted by the UN have failed to convince Iran to halt its
uranium-enrichment programme which could lead to production of a
nuclear weapon. The US is calling on allied states to adopt tougher
unilateral sanctions.
President Bush appointed Admiral William Fallon to replace General John
Abizaid as head of Central Command for Iraq and Afghanistan last week
in a sign that change could be afoot. This week, Mr Bush ordered a
second aircraft carrier to the Gulf, along with its support ships,
which could be used to contain Iran.
The US Treasury named Iran's Bank Sepah as a proliferator of weapons of
mass destruction on Tuesday, banned US companies or citizens from doing
business with it and blocked any of its assets that come under American
jurisdiction.
But if the US is preparing to confront Iran militarily - which some top
military officials in Israel are reportedly recommending - the Bush
administration will find itself involved in conflicts on four fronts.
In Somalia, US special forces have been pounding suspected al-Qa'ida
suspects since early on Monday, in a continuing operation that risks
pulling the Americans back into a conflict in a failed state. US forces
are also active in southern Afghanistan in the hunt for the al-Qa'ida
leader, Osama bin Laden, and his top associates. Al-Qa'ida has
reactivated its Taliban allies who have become bolder in their attacks
on coalition forces.
In Iraq, US troops are losing soldiers on an almost daily basis to the
bombs of Sunni and Shia insurgents. The Shia-led government of Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki was warned by Ms Rice yesterday that his days
were numbered unless he was able to take on Shia militias who are his
allies in government.
Ms Rice followed up President Bush's tough words on Iran by saying:
"The President made very clear last night that we know Iran is engaged
in activities endangering our troops... and that we're going to pursue
those who may be involved in those activities."
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad Ali Hosseini, protested
against the raid by US forces in Arbil, saying on Iranian state-run
radio that it targeted a "diplomatic mission" since the "presence of
Iranian staffers in Irbil was legal".
Ironically, Iran had been contained by Saddam Hussein, until his
overthrow by the Americans in 2003. Obsessed by a threat from "Persian
hordes", Saddam maintained ambiguity about his weapons of mass
destruction so Iran would believe that it had reason to fear its
western neighbour. So have the Americans made a strategic mistake by
refusing to engage with Iran? "There's no doubt that nothing good will
come of this," said Dr Ansari.

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Coming War with Iran as discussed by Pat Buchanan, Keith Olbermann and
Zbigniew Brzezinski:

http://www.warwithoutend.co.uk/zone0...ic.php?t=66148

http://nomorewarforisrael.blogspot.com