Jaffar

In the early years of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld boldly warned Syrian Arab Republic -- and especially Islamic Republic Of Iran -- against intervening. He threatened the U.S. would throw them accountable.

It turned out to be another in the series of Shrub disposal large talking that clip exposed as hollow.

In the 6th twelvemonth of war, Islamic Republic Of Iran loomed as the elephant in the congressional Chambers where America's top commander, Gen. Saint David Petraeus, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified last week. In an computer address a twenty-four hours later, President Saint George W. Shrub made the same points.

The testimony and the presidential comments focused on the Numbers of American military personnel that stay committed on the battlefield, likely for the remainder of this twelvemonth or much of it.

However, hovering in the background was what had long been plain. It's no secret that Islamic Republic Of Iran have been deeply involved in Iraq. In fact, it have not one but two domestic dogs in the fight, supporting at assorted modern times and occasions either one or the other of the Shiite cabals that came to blows last calendar month in Basia and Baghdad. Perhaps even mentoring both at the same time.

Tehran back ups the Iraki Supreme Islamic Council in its attempts to make an independent Shiite physical thing in southern Iraq, next to Iran, where much of the country's oil militia are located. Muqtada al-Sadr caputs the most effectual Shiite militia, and opposes a separate region. His reserves was assaulted by the largely Shiite Iraki regular regular army in Basra.

When the Iraki army, on the orders of Prime Curate Nouri al-Malaki, attacked in Basia ostensibly to convey the Sadrist reserves and others under control, they were fought off.

A armistice was arranged by political parties negotiating in -- where else? -- Iran, where al-Sadr had gone, as he have in the past when he felt himself threatened, although on the surface he opposed Persian hegemonic ambitions.

Ambassador Crocker set his finger on what is going on, saying that Islamic Republic Of Islamic Republic Of Islamic Republic Of Iran is pushing the "Lebanonization" of Iraq, by supporting reserves and other placeholders to make its bidding, much as it have successfully accomplished in Lebanon.

Gen. Petraeus said Teheran was playing a "destructive role" by supplying sophisticated weaponry, including 107-mm rockets that were fired at the Green Zone where the U.S. embassy and military central office and the Iraki authorities are located, while also fielding Iranian-trained "special groups" in the current fighting.

Endorsing Petraeus' troop degree recommendations, Shrub reiterated for the umpteenth clip the warning for Iran not to make what it have been doing all along, training, supplying and support the militants.

"America will move to protect our involvements and our military personnel and our Iraki partners," he asserted. Just how the U.S. would make what it have not been able to make so far was left unexplained.

On the 1 hand, Teheran have been changeless in demanding an American withdrawal. On the other hand, having much-stressed U.S. military units mired in Republic Of Iraq would apparently profit it to the grade that it impairs Washington's options.