P
Patriot Games
Guest
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/Petraeus_Charges_Iran_/2008/04/09/86794.html
Petraeus Charges Iran For Ramp Up of Iraq Violence
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
In his Capiol Hill testimony, General David Petraeus concluded that Iran has
played a major role in the Shi'ite revolt and the surge of violence in Iraq.
Citing DoD officials, Petraeus said Teheran has been funding, training,
arming and directing Shi'ite militias in central and southern Iraq. They
cited the so-called Special Groups, said to have trained in Iran to attack
the U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi security forces.
"The Special Groups activities have, in fact, come out in greater relief
during the violence of recent weeks," U.S. military commander in Iraq, Gen.
David Petraeus, said. "It is they who have the expertise to shoot rockets
more accurately, shoot mortars more accurately, and to employ some of the
more advanced material - the explosively formed projectiles and the like -
that have not just killed our soldiers and Iraqi soldiers, but also have
been used to assassinate two southern governors in past months and two
southern police chiefs."
On Tuesday, Petraeus and U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, briefed the
Senate Armed Services Committee on the situation in Iraq. The two men
asserted that Iran's support to Shi'ite miltias threatens Iraq's drive
toward democracy.
The U.S. military commander said Iran played a significant role in the
Shi'ite revolt in Baghdad and Basra. Petraeus said the bulk of weapons
employed by the Special Groups was supplied by Iran.
"We should all watch Iranian actions closely in the weeks and months ahead,
as they will show the kind of relationship Iran wishes to have with its
neighbor and the character of future Iranian involvement in Iraq," Petraeus
said.
Crocker also stressed the Iranian influence over the government of Prime
Minister Nouri Al Maliki as well as the Shi'ite community. The ambassador
said the United States was ready to support what he termed constructive
relations between Iran and Iraq.
"The extent of Iran's malign influence was dramatically demonstrated when
militia elements armed and trained by Iran clashed with Iraqi government
forces in Basra and Baghdad,'' Crocker said.
In his testimony, Petraeus said the U.S. military, with more than 150,000
soldiers, required at least 140,000 troops in Iraq over the next six months.
He warned that the security situation was fragile and could undergo a sudden
decline.
"This approach does not allow establishment of a set withdrawal timetable,''
Petraeus said. "However, it does provide the flexibility those of us on the
ground need to preserve the still-fragile security gains our troopers have
fought so far and sacrifice so much to achieve.''
Petraeus Charges Iran For Ramp Up of Iraq Violence
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
In his Capiol Hill testimony, General David Petraeus concluded that Iran has
played a major role in the Shi'ite revolt and the surge of violence in Iraq.
Citing DoD officials, Petraeus said Teheran has been funding, training,
arming and directing Shi'ite militias in central and southern Iraq. They
cited the so-called Special Groups, said to have trained in Iran to attack
the U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi security forces.
"The Special Groups activities have, in fact, come out in greater relief
during the violence of recent weeks," U.S. military commander in Iraq, Gen.
David Petraeus, said. "It is they who have the expertise to shoot rockets
more accurately, shoot mortars more accurately, and to employ some of the
more advanced material - the explosively formed projectiles and the like -
that have not just killed our soldiers and Iraqi soldiers, but also have
been used to assassinate two southern governors in past months and two
southern police chiefs."
On Tuesday, Petraeus and U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, briefed the
Senate Armed Services Committee on the situation in Iraq. The two men
asserted that Iran's support to Shi'ite miltias threatens Iraq's drive
toward democracy.
The U.S. military commander said Iran played a significant role in the
Shi'ite revolt in Baghdad and Basra. Petraeus said the bulk of weapons
employed by the Special Groups was supplied by Iran.
"We should all watch Iranian actions closely in the weeks and months ahead,
as they will show the kind of relationship Iran wishes to have with its
neighbor and the character of future Iranian involvement in Iraq," Petraeus
said.
Crocker also stressed the Iranian influence over the government of Prime
Minister Nouri Al Maliki as well as the Shi'ite community. The ambassador
said the United States was ready to support what he termed constructive
relations between Iran and Iraq.
"The extent of Iran's malign influence was dramatically demonstrated when
militia elements armed and trained by Iran clashed with Iraqi government
forces in Basra and Baghdad,'' Crocker said.
In his testimony, Petraeus said the U.S. military, with more than 150,000
soldiers, required at least 140,000 troops in Iraq over the next six months.
He warned that the security situation was fragile and could undergo a sudden
decline.
"This approach does not allow establishment of a set withdrawal timetable,''
Petraeus said. "However, it does provide the flexibility those of us on the
ground need to preserve the still-fragile security gains our troopers have
fought so far and sacrifice so much to achieve.''
