GiaOmerta
26-01-2007, 04:08 PM
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/26/iraq.main/index.html
U.S. troops allowed to kill Iranians plotting attacks in Iraq
POSTED: 9:38 a.m. EST, January 26, 2007
Story Highlights? NEW: Official: Policy aimed at Iranian agents plotting with Iraqi militias
? U.S. Marine killed while fighting in volatile Anbar province
? 15 die in pet market bombing, follow prime minister's appeal for unity
? U.S. Republican tries to counter criticism of planned troop increase
Adjust font size:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration has authorized the U.S. military to capture or kill Iranian agents in Iraq who are plotting attacks against U.S. and coalition forces, a U.S. national security official said Friday.
The policy, signed by President Bush in the last couple of months, is aimed at Iranian agents involved in those activities with members of Iraqi militias, the official said.
The Bush administration and U.S. military officials have accused Iran and Syria of helping insurgents inside Iraq.
Bush and his advisers had discussed the policy since last fall. The president decided to authorize it when the situation in Iraq continued to deteriorate and because the United States is looking to get tougher with Iran, the official said.
The Washington Post first reported the development, citing "government and counterterrorism officials with direct knowledge of the effort."
A statement from National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe on Friday said: "The president has made clear for some time that we will take the steps necessary to protect Americans on the ground in Iraq and disrupt activity that could lead to their harm. Our forces have standing authority consistent with the mandate of the U.N. Security Council."
"Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force is a part of the Iranian state apparatus that supports and carries out these activities," the statement said.
This month, U.S. forces detained five Iranian nationals in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, a U.S. military officer said.
A preliminary investigation found links between the detainees and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which has provided funds, weapons, bomb technology and training to extremist groups in Iraq, the coalition said. Iranian government officials denounced the detentions and said U.S. forces had raided an Iranian liaison office.
The Iraq study group, as part of its analysis of Bush administration policy in Iraq, had recommended diplomatic engagement with Iraq's neighbors, including Iran -- a tactic that the White House has rejected.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace criticized Iran during testimony before Congress on January 12.
"We have our special operations forces everyday working against the networks that provide the weapons that kill our troops," said Pace. "They continue to raid and they will continue to raid. One of the reasons you keep hearing about Iran, is because we keep finding their stuff in Iraq."
Bomb strikes pet market
On Friday, a bomb killed at least 15 people and wounded 35 others in central Baghdad, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. The bomb was stashed in a box and exploded in a pet market.
The Ghazel pet market is a popular destination on Fridays. People gather to sell and buy monkeys, cats, dogs and other animals.
The same market has been targeted before. In December, militants launched a mortar round into the market, killing three people and wounding 28 in the attack.
And in June, four people were killed and at least 50 injured when two bombs detonated in the market. (Watch how the battle for Baghdad is fought from apartment buildings )
In Friday's attack, a witness told The Associated Press that a carton containing pigeons blew up as potential buyers gathered around.
"My friends and I rushed to the scene where we saw burned dead bodies, pieces of flesh and several dead expensive puppies and birds," market customer Raad Hassan told the AP.
Also Friday, a U.S. Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 6 died after being wounded in Iraq's volatile Anbar province, the U.S. military announced.
The latest death brings the number of American military personnel who have died in Iraq to 3,058. Seven civilian contractors of the Defense Department also have been killed in the war.
Al-Maliki: 'Outlaws' will be targeted regardless of sect
Two more bombings in Baghdad on Friday morning wounded four civilians, and Iraqi police discovered six bullet-riddled bodies showing signs of torture dumped in an open yard in central Baghdad.
Friday's violence came a day after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urged the Iraqi Parliament to keep politics out of a new security plan for the capital.
On the same day as al-Maliki's address, bombings, mortar attacks and shootings killed at least 38 people around Baghdad, and police found 40 unidentified bodies dumped in the Iraqi capital. (Full story)
No one who engages in violence, either Shiite or Sunni, will be spared, al-Maliki said in the address shown live on national TV.
"I ask everyone to excuse us as we do the job," he said. "No school, house, mosque or husseiniya [Shiite mosques] will be out of reach of our forces if they are harboring outlaws. The same for political party headquarters."
The Iraqi leader dismissed the notion that his Shiite-led government was carrying out a vendetta against the minority Sunnis, who dominated Iraq during Saddam Hussein's rule.
"It's a law-and-order oriented plan, and it's not targeted against any sectarian group as claimed by some media outlets," al-Maliki said. "Some say it's targeting Shiites; others say it's targeting Sunnis.
"I say it's targeting everyone -- everyone that is outside the law."
Prime minister insists U.S. only offering support
Al-Maliki asserted that the security efforts were 100 percent Iraqi, with U.S.-led coalition forces "just backing us up."
Al-Maliki also promised that the army and police will not breach human rights to secure the capital. He said that rebuilding neighborhoods was part of the plan, which will carry humanitarian, social and economic components.
Al-Maliki said the security crackdown did not represent a last stand. "If we do not accomplish all our goals with this plan, we will revise it. There will be a second, third and fourth plan if need be," he said.
Bush announced two weeks ago that the U.S. will add 21,500 U.S. troops to the roughly 132,000 already in Iraq.
The troop increase has been soundly criticized by many in the U.S. Congress.
On Thursday, Republican Sen. John McCain, a leading advocate of sending more U.S. troops, said he'll try to blunt the impact of proposed Senate resolutions opposing a buildup with a new resolution of his own. (Full story)
Other development
Iraqi police backed by coalition forces detained five militiamen and arrested seven others during operations south of the capital near Kawam, according to the U.S. military. Coalition forces detained 13 suspected terrorists during raids Thursday in Karmah, in Anbar province near Syria; and Mosul in northern Iraq's Nineveh province, the U.S. military said
I have work in a few. I didnt look much through it, some interesting developements. Discuss.
U.S. troops allowed to kill Iranians plotting attacks in Iraq
POSTED: 9:38 a.m. EST, January 26, 2007
Story Highlights? NEW: Official: Policy aimed at Iranian agents plotting with Iraqi militias
? U.S. Marine killed while fighting in volatile Anbar province
? 15 die in pet market bombing, follow prime minister's appeal for unity
? U.S. Republican tries to counter criticism of planned troop increase
Adjust font size:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration has authorized the U.S. military to capture or kill Iranian agents in Iraq who are plotting attacks against U.S. and coalition forces, a U.S. national security official said Friday.
The policy, signed by President Bush in the last couple of months, is aimed at Iranian agents involved in those activities with members of Iraqi militias, the official said.
The Bush administration and U.S. military officials have accused Iran and Syria of helping insurgents inside Iraq.
Bush and his advisers had discussed the policy since last fall. The president decided to authorize it when the situation in Iraq continued to deteriorate and because the United States is looking to get tougher with Iran, the official said.
The Washington Post first reported the development, citing "government and counterterrorism officials with direct knowledge of the effort."
A statement from National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe on Friday said: "The president has made clear for some time that we will take the steps necessary to protect Americans on the ground in Iraq and disrupt activity that could lead to their harm. Our forces have standing authority consistent with the mandate of the U.N. Security Council."
"Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force is a part of the Iranian state apparatus that supports and carries out these activities," the statement said.
This month, U.S. forces detained five Iranian nationals in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, a U.S. military officer said.
A preliminary investigation found links between the detainees and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which has provided funds, weapons, bomb technology and training to extremist groups in Iraq, the coalition said. Iranian government officials denounced the detentions and said U.S. forces had raided an Iranian liaison office.
The Iraq study group, as part of its analysis of Bush administration policy in Iraq, had recommended diplomatic engagement with Iraq's neighbors, including Iran -- a tactic that the White House has rejected.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace criticized Iran during testimony before Congress on January 12.
"We have our special operations forces everyday working against the networks that provide the weapons that kill our troops," said Pace. "They continue to raid and they will continue to raid. One of the reasons you keep hearing about Iran, is because we keep finding their stuff in Iraq."
Bomb strikes pet market
On Friday, a bomb killed at least 15 people and wounded 35 others in central Baghdad, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. The bomb was stashed in a box and exploded in a pet market.
The Ghazel pet market is a popular destination on Fridays. People gather to sell and buy monkeys, cats, dogs and other animals.
The same market has been targeted before. In December, militants launched a mortar round into the market, killing three people and wounding 28 in the attack.
And in June, four people were killed and at least 50 injured when two bombs detonated in the market. (Watch how the battle for Baghdad is fought from apartment buildings )
In Friday's attack, a witness told The Associated Press that a carton containing pigeons blew up as potential buyers gathered around.
"My friends and I rushed to the scene where we saw burned dead bodies, pieces of flesh and several dead expensive puppies and birds," market customer Raad Hassan told the AP.
Also Friday, a U.S. Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 6 died after being wounded in Iraq's volatile Anbar province, the U.S. military announced.
The latest death brings the number of American military personnel who have died in Iraq to 3,058. Seven civilian contractors of the Defense Department also have been killed in the war.
Al-Maliki: 'Outlaws' will be targeted regardless of sect
Two more bombings in Baghdad on Friday morning wounded four civilians, and Iraqi police discovered six bullet-riddled bodies showing signs of torture dumped in an open yard in central Baghdad.
Friday's violence came a day after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urged the Iraqi Parliament to keep politics out of a new security plan for the capital.
On the same day as al-Maliki's address, bombings, mortar attacks and shootings killed at least 38 people around Baghdad, and police found 40 unidentified bodies dumped in the Iraqi capital. (Full story)
No one who engages in violence, either Shiite or Sunni, will be spared, al-Maliki said in the address shown live on national TV.
"I ask everyone to excuse us as we do the job," he said. "No school, house, mosque or husseiniya [Shiite mosques] will be out of reach of our forces if they are harboring outlaws. The same for political party headquarters."
The Iraqi leader dismissed the notion that his Shiite-led government was carrying out a vendetta against the minority Sunnis, who dominated Iraq during Saddam Hussein's rule.
"It's a law-and-order oriented plan, and it's not targeted against any sectarian group as claimed by some media outlets," al-Maliki said. "Some say it's targeting Shiites; others say it's targeting Sunnis.
"I say it's targeting everyone -- everyone that is outside the law."
Prime minister insists U.S. only offering support
Al-Maliki asserted that the security efforts were 100 percent Iraqi, with U.S.-led coalition forces "just backing us up."
Al-Maliki also promised that the army and police will not breach human rights to secure the capital. He said that rebuilding neighborhoods was part of the plan, which will carry humanitarian, social and economic components.
Al-Maliki said the security crackdown did not represent a last stand. "If we do not accomplish all our goals with this plan, we will revise it. There will be a second, third and fourth plan if need be," he said.
Bush announced two weeks ago that the U.S. will add 21,500 U.S. troops to the roughly 132,000 already in Iraq.
The troop increase has been soundly criticized by many in the U.S. Congress.
On Thursday, Republican Sen. John McCain, a leading advocate of sending more U.S. troops, said he'll try to blunt the impact of proposed Senate resolutions opposing a buildup with a new resolution of his own. (Full story)
Other development
Iraqi police backed by coalition forces detained five militiamen and arrested seven others during operations south of the capital near Kawam, according to the U.S. military. Coalition forces detained 13 suspected terrorists during raids Thursday in Karmah, in Anbar province near Syria; and Mosul in northern Iraq's Nineveh province, the U.S. military said
I have work in a few. I didnt look much through it, some interesting developements. Discuss.