IRAN: Is Washington telling the truth, or setting stage for war?

On Friday chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael G. Mullen delivered stern words against Iran, accusing it of continuing to supply weapons and training to Iraqi militants to target American troops despite promises not to do so.

Mullen's words carry weight. He's uniformed military, not some beltway ideologue.

Still, many in the U.S. and the world feel burned by the Bush administration's pre-war claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and support for Al Qaeda that turned out to be false.

Others believe the allegations that Iran is messing up U.S. plans in Iraq.

What do you think? Vote in the poll below.

—Borzou Daragahi in Beirut

Photo: An Iranian soldier wears a gas mask during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

P.S. The Los Angeles Times issues a free daily newsletter with the latest headlines from the Middle East, the war in Iraq and the frictions between the West and Islam. You can subscribe by registering at the website here, logging in here and clicking on the World: Mideast newsletter box here.

Comments

[poetryman69]

So why did Dubya go to war?

A. To enrich his pet dog, I mean loyal
retainer VP FUtus of Borg

B. To enrich his oil buddies

C. To enrich war profiteering corporations

D. To give his Cult the ritual human
sacrifices, maiming and dismemberments
they need to worship Satan

E. To create another Shiite nation

F. Dubya was a charter member of Numbnut Neo-Con Nimrods making the world safe for terrorism

G. Dubya was a charter member of Numbnut Neo-con Nimrod Numbskull's making the world safe for big oil.

H. All of the above

[poetryman69]

So why did Dubya go to war?

A. To enrich his pet dog, I mean loyal
retainer VP FUtus of Borg

B. To enrich his oil buddies

C. To enrich war profiteering corporations

D. To give his Cult the ritual human
sacrifices, maiming and dismemberments
they need to worship Satan

E. To create another Shiite nation

F. Dubya was a charter member of Numbnut Neo-Con Nimrods making the world safe for terrorism

G. Dubya was a charter member of Numbnut Neo-con Nimrod Numbskull's making the world safe for big oil.

H. All of the above

[Steph]

Bush and his cohorts are psychopaths in power. They have lied all the time to gain support for their aggression in Iraq, and now they want the public to support an attack on Iran??

[Johnson]

Bush administration is escapegoating and is itching for another destructive war. History will judge Bush and Blair harshly.

[hlg]

.....we need the money more than Bush does. Half of all federal tax dollars go to the military...........

Bush just prints these $$$ , don't think it was from your taxes

[Maziar]

What s strange way to ask a question! Just like Bush...? Borzou jaan, your agenda is clear as a whistle. Of course you are going to get a negative response when you form a question like that. Why don't you ask this question: should the Islamic Republic (IR) regime, occupying Iran, a medival theocracy be allowed to continue to raise hell to stay in power?
Or: Should the American forces do nothing and watch IR terrorists cause death and destructions in Iraq?
What can one expect from a US media whose Iranian journalists have hidden IR sympathies?

[Kazem Behjat]

My concern is that should the US attack, how Iran ( and the rest of the Muslim world for that matter ) would respond/react. All I see in the press here is that Iran will try to close the straights of Hurmuz and Hezbollah will attack Israel and there might be additional terrorist activity. The administration keeps telling us that Iranians are the bad guys and we will put them in their place. What they do not tell us is how these bad guys might really fight back. These bad guys have only had 5 years to prepare…

The current regime in Iran is largely responsible for making popular the phenomenon that is called suicide bombing. During the war with Iraq thousands of Iranians ran into minefields and killed themselves and changed the course of the war. These people will not just sit back and be bombed/attacked. As some of the pundits here have said, we need to be prepared for suicide bombers blowing up shopping malls, schools and bridges etc here in the US should the US attack Iran. And my fear is that is just the beginning, Iranian agents are active throughout the world from Africa, to South America to the Far East and Europe.

Iranians know that they do not stand a chance against the US which they admit is the best fighting force the world has ever seen, by trying to outgun them. So they will try and go for soft targets around the globe and especially in the Middle East. Almost all the gulf states (including Saudi Arabia) has a large Shia minority and they are closely tied to Iran. An Article that i read a while back mentioned that, the Shia in these countries who have been treated like second class citizens for years and now see their brethrens in power in Iraq and Iran. They will reek havoc in countries that support the US and will attack US/Allies forces in these countries. If we think that the insurgents in Iraq are a ruthless opponent, imagine having to fight them all around the world. The Iranians will make sure of that and we can be sure the plans are already in place.

I sincerely hope that there is not an attack on Iran by the US because unlike the war with Iraq, I think it will change the way we live significantly.

[norconian]

It's interesting to see the comments of Iranians. Two of three agree with Bush and want freedom. The third spouts fascist clap trap. I'll side with the majority. It takes more than clap trap and slogans to convince Norconian.

[Concerne citizen]

I am a concerned American Mother. Why should I sacrifice my son for Israeli ambitions?!

[Susan]

> Is Washington telling the truth

Do you even need to ask? For heavens sake-- what's their track record?

It would be nice btw if, for once, the media listened and gave voice to the folks who were *right* about what a quagmire Iraq would be, rather than the idiots who proclaimed how "necessary" it was, and what a "cakewalk" it would be.

[Frank]

This Israeli regime is evil. They shoot rock throwing kids in the streets. If that's not evil, then I don't know what is!

Take a look at this video, it's awesome!

http://www.voteubele.com/AIPAC_Documentry.htm

Enjoy,
Frank

[cascadaobserver]

Bush fears that a strong relationship between Iran and Iraqi government will cause Maliki to align with Iran, ditch us, and leave us with only the Kurds as allies in Iraq. The US propaganda about Iran is an attempt to make sure Maliki doesn't bail like Tony Blair, Bush's last poodle.

[Shahab]

As an Iranian I have to say that these people writing agaist Iran arent even Iranians, havent even live in Iran and all they do is talk mess when it comes to it. its obvious what is happening in the M.E. was already planned, lie after lie to make the public believe in bunch of bull s..t that if it was investigated then we would know what really happened. for example the incident that took place in the Persina Gulf about 2 months ago. Pentagon said that Iranian ships tried to blow up a U.S. ship like a suicide attack and providing a funcky audio (that only a real shit head would recognize it was not real) was provided with it. but what pentagon didnt know was that Iran records everything on tape when it comes to encounters with anyone in the Persian Gulf. wow, what a blow. and guys, that was just one example imagine what if Iran didnt have that video footage, then who could defend Iran today with a controlled media in the U.S?

[Jason]

Of course the US sided with Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. Remember the Americans held hostage in Iran for 444 days? Only an idiot would think "Bush/The US wants a war with Iran." Wars are expensive and politically disastrous. But when Iran keeps sending weapons that kill our troops and Iraqi police and stir up trouble in Iraq, what are we supposed to do?Smile and nod and pat Iran on the back? Iran will be stopped. They can choose to stop or they can be forced to stop. Iran already considers the US "The Great Satan" and has thought that since the Carter years so nothing we do is going to make them hate us even more. Every little accident or setback that occurs in Iran gets blamed on some US/zionist conspiracy instead of the incompetent leaders of Iran. The people of Iran are smarter than the government of Iran thinks they are.

[Frank]

You can blame this whole war on AIPAC. Take a look at this video:

http://www.voteubele.com/AIPAC_Documentry.htm

-Frank

[BruceR]

Bush intended to invade Iran 5 years ago,but nobody in the administration understood the difference between Iran and Iraq. It's a spelling thing. Potatoe, you know. Republican reality. Not too factish.

Now they get a do-over.

Bomb bomb, bomb bomb....

BruceR

[Seyedomid Zoie]

Iran's regime is evil. Its constitution lacks justice, human rights and it is affecting all people around the world. They create ideology for their inhuman desires to brainwash ordinary people. I am 24 years old and I have both experiences living inside the cage (Iran) and outside it in Australia. Every action has a reaction as we all know.
Iran is geographically situated in between many different civilizations, East and West. The end game would be the East and the West clashing into each other after passing through the middle (Middle East). So worse is yet to come when the West have to eventually confront the East. We should take the ECO solution for example. If they take over the Middle East by war and science they will face death and destruction of not only them self but the whole planet. Let the Middle East be how it is, otherwise we all will disappear the way the dinosaurs did. PEACE BE UP ON YOU ALL

[Saint Michael Traveler]

Please, President Bush, come back home!

Our own national problems include: over burdened education costs, lack of professional employment opportunity, unaffordable health insurance, crumbling infrastructures, and failing of our national banks. We have very serious problems in our own hemisphere!

What are we doing in Iraq? What are we doing in Persian Gulf the front door to Iran a country 7500 miles from home? Are own problems at home are much more serious than interventions in the Middle East.

[Donna H.]

Iran historically has had a significant role among the nations in the Middle East. Our attempts to isolate and minimize its role and deny it any significant power remind me of the mistakes the allies made with Germany after WWI, when punishment and ostracization of the German nation created fertile ground among the German people for Hitler's rise to power. Attacks on Iran will only strengthen the hand of the current government and reduce the effectiveness of democratic elements within the society. We need instead to engage the government and find some ways of giving them a voice in the affairs of the Middle East, much as we did with Germany after WWII.

[Charles]

You actually think those filthy animals have the capacity to do anythying on their own? Wake up. The sooner we take the gloves completely off and finish Iran the better. Better yet tell those idiots in Israel to clean up there own yard. They are arguably the second most powerful military, why don't thet get off their butts and use it.

[soroush]

IM AN IRANIAN YOUNG PLZ UNDERSTAND THAT OUR REGIME IS MOST THREAT IN THE WORLD.ISLAMIC REPUBLIC ISN OUR LEGAL GOVERMENT.THEY GOING OUR IRAN TO HELL.THEY ARE SO DANGEROUS FOR HUMAN ESPESIALLY IRANIAN PEOPLE WHICH THEY HAVE NOT ANY FREEDOM IN ANYTHING.
NERON DIES BUT ROME IS ALIVE
HOPE TO GET BACK FREEDOM TO IRAN.PERSIA.
THE FIRST EMPIRE OF THE WORLD.AND THE FIRST EMPEROR THE GREAT CYRUS.THAT WE(IRANIAN) PROUD OF HIM.

[ed6567]

Bush and Cheney has done so much to hurt America both morally, economically and security. We are losing control of our military with Cheney's greed through Halliburton and out sourcing security and outsourcing the oversight of the outsourced companies who do not have the taxpayers or the country in mind. Now Bush and Cheney want to start a war in the twilight of their departure. We should have impeached them from the beginning. They are in a slash and burn mode and we are the ones who are going to burn.

[Ryan Healy]

No matter whether the allegations against Iran are true or false, it doesn't provide a basis for attacking Iran. The greatest threat to the world today is not Iran; it is the United States. We are the enemy in the mirror.

[ed6567]

Bush and Cheney has done so much to hurt America both morally, economically and security. We are losing control of our military with Cheney's greed through Halliburton and out sourcing security and outsourcing the oversight of the outsourced companies who do not have the taxpayers or the country in mind. Now Bush and Cheney want to start a war in the twilight of their departure. We should have impeached them from the beginning. They are in a slash and burn mode and we are the ones who are going to burn.

[JR]

Iran's back is against the wall. They are forced to fight the U.S. in Iraq, because they know that when it is over the U.S. will fight Iran inside of Iran. The U.S. should get completely out of the M-East.

[JR]

Iran's back is against the wall. They are forced to fight the U.S. in Iraq, because they know that when it is over the U.S. will fight Iran inside of Iran. The U.S. should get completely out of the M-East.

[reza]

I believe Iran is suppling the weapons and training to Iraqis and they have the right to do that.At 1980-88 war between iraq and iran the United States did the same by helping both side and also at the end shut down the iran air airbus to end the war.This is a war and policy to bring the other side to knees.Remember the persian at time of Darius the third did the same mistake by making war between Sparta and Athen for sixteen years and opening the way for Macadonia to defeat both Sparta and Athens and making a United Greek to defeat Persian empire with a united force and America made the same mistake by taking Iraq and Afghanistan the old east and west part of old Persia and bring them closer to main body.The collapse of American Super Power has been started but there is a lot to learn from rise and collapse of another empire.The empire is under financial and social pressure from inside and outside and a new form of foriegn policy badly needed to clean the mistakes taken place for last years and new order to put in place.Otherwise the crash happens much faster.

[Mohammad Alireza]

“Cowboys and Iranians”
By Mohammad Alireza. Tehran.

It is a very sad day in Iranian history when an American presidential candidate needs to threaten to “obliterate” Iran so as to be elected.

The question that every Iranian needs to ask: “Why has Hillary suddenly transformed into a testes endowed nuclear warmonger?”

Is it the fact that the largest economy of the world, which is driven by the military industrial complex and uses 25% of the planets oil, has concluded that only Iran stands in its way to controlling 60% of the globes known petrochemical reserves?

Or, is it because it is only Iran that stands in the way of the apartheid-like behavior of the Zionist?

Surely it can’t be because of the nonsense that Ahmadinejad likes to utter because any well informed American “leader” knows he is a light weight nobody that will soon vanish into the pages of time.

So, why did Hillary suddenly decide she had to show she had bigger balls then all her rivals, even bigger than those hanging from that neurotic that sang that Beach Boys song and wants a third Bush term?

Here is a hint: follow the money.

At current prices the oil that sits below Iraqi soil is estimated to be worth over forty trillion dollars, and Iran has about the same. That’s with a “T” and twelve zeros!

For a superpower in decline, with China and India rapidly advancing into the realm of potential superpowers, and the European Union slowly eclipsing the United States, gaining control of the lifeblood of the global economy is the only path that guarantees Americas “vital national interests”, which is equivalent to the continued domination of the world’s economy.

The American Establishment would never have given Bush Cheney Inc. the green light to invade Iraq if the stakes were not so high. The only problem is that they were sold a cheap occupation that now is approaching two trillion dollars in costs, which in actual fact are not costs, but a transfer of American taxpayer money into the coffers of the military industrial complex.

Obliterating Iran has many benefits for the American Empire. It clears the path for controlling the planets remaining significant petrochemical reserves, which therefore guarantees that America’s addiction to oil need not go into withdrawal.

Obliterating Iran also has the added benefit of removing the only remaining obstacle for Zionist from placing the Palestinians into reservations, a process that is taking place in Iraq today.

America was built through the genocide of Native Indians and the continued existence of America requires the same mindset, which the current Cowboy in Chief has put on display for all to see.

Question is will Iranians and Iraqis willingly play the part of Indians in this game of twenty first century cowboys and Indians?

And if you don’t agree with any of the above then what are those forts for that are being built in Iraq? Don’t know what forts are? Hint: They built a lot of them in “Redskin country”.

Further reading:

The Big Thirst
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/weekinreview/20mouawad.html?pagewanted=all

Unraveling Iraq

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/21/8422/

The New Walls of Baghdad

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/22/8457/

[gårcho]

"do you believe washington?" how can anyone ask that question? washington lies in every statement the congress or the president makes. when have they ever told us the truth? WWI? WWII? the Depression? the Red Scare? Vietnam? JFK? Watergate? Iran-Contra? Kuwait? OK City? `93 WTC bombings? Sept 11? Iraq? has anyone in america ever read a history book? every major event in american history has been distorted to fit interests of the people in charge in washington and on wall street. how could anyone believe them now? i hate the iranian leadership, they rank way down there with the nazis, soviets, mao, pol pot and mugabe. but war doesn't solve this problem because no armies fight wars to help people! FDR and congress completely supported all the european fascists until poland was destroyed. then we didn't care enough to help. only once nippon bombed our territory of the independent kingdom of hawaii (it wasn't a state in `41) that we thought to get involved. we purposely waited until europe destroyed itself to get involved, so that way we could come i strong at the end and make business deals with the monster stalin to slice up the world in half. and WWII is always the example of the 'right' war? bush's family sold the nazis steel and helped them buy gas for the chambers. now you believe him? so if we go to war with iran, don't think it's to help the middle east. anyone who votes for war mongering politicians should be the first ones out on the front lines. and don't bother coming back home.

[Heather Czerniak]

Only one way to stop it. A federal tax revolt. Next filing season, pay your federal taxes to your home state instead of the IRS. God only know we need the money more than Bush does. Half of all federal tax dollars go to the military. If you want to end war and militarization, cut off the money. What's the federal government going to do about it? They can't stop us. They won't have any money to hire federal troops. The prisons are full.

[farzad]

I believe strongly that Iran supporting the militants in Iraq.
It is so childish to think the other way around. I am Iranian and have lived in Iran all my life. This government doesn,t show mercy to their own people let alone the foreigners. Iran's aim is instability in Iraq and the whloe middle east to strengthen its position in the reigon and busy America with these issues. Future will clear everything up and we will see that Bush and its adminstration were right and the took the right decision.

[shawn]

United States and Iran are the only powers in the middle east that can resolve many of the long standing issues that are confronting the region that by extension is affecting our own lives here in the states. to name a few:
1-Iraq
2-Israeli/Palestinian conflict
3-Afghanistan
4-Lebanon
5-Extremism/Terrorism connected to the above mentioned
6-Petroleum/Natural gas supplies(Iran has the second largest oil and gas reserves and practically controls the strait of Hormouz were most of the oil/gas of the Persian Gulf littoral states are exported)
7-Confronting the renewed Russian influence in Central Asia and the Caucus.
8-Confronting encroaching Chinese influence in the region.
U.S and Iran have over lapping interests in all of the above.
Although very independent, historically Iran and Iranians always looked towards the West. By threatening them we will eventually push them towards the East which would be against the interests of the West. (there are signs that this is already happening e.g. Iran has asked to be formally admitted into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which is the closest thing to NATO in the East.)
talk to them and make peace with them instead.

[willihudso]

Once a liar always a liar.
Bush will always be known as spreader of lies.
Honesty, remember, is a virtue.
Everytime the Bush Administration syas anything I and most of the world assume its a lie.
That is one of the differences between now and pre-Iraq.
There is no sincerety in the "sorry" for what the US inflicted on Vietnam or any where else. Lies, torture and massacre is now the expected norm of the American foreign policy and exploits. And I as a British citizen class myself as an American all, but my conscience is now troubling me..

[Bill S]

Well if Iran was serious about getting the US out of Iraq they would be providing the good stuff: Man Portable Anti-aircraft rockets and anti-armor weapons.

That's how we got the Ruskies out of Afghanistan.

Iran seems to be only providing AKs and explosives. Probably most of that is entrepreneurial rather than overtly state sponsored.