J-10
03-08-2006, 05:20 AM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060307/pl_afp/usiraqiranmilitary_060307174027
Tue Mar 7, 12:40 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Iran of sending Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces into Iraq, and warned Tehran it was "an error in judgement."
"They are currently putting people into Iraq to do things that are harmful to the future of Iraq, and we know it, and it is something that they will look back on as having been an error in judgement," he told reporters here.
Pressed to elaborate, Rumsfeld said the Iranians were putting "Quds force-type people," or Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces, into Iraq.
"I don't think we could consider them religious pilgrims," Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld charges come amid heightened sectarian tension inside Iraq that have raised fears of civil war and a sharpening diplomatic confrontation with Iran over suspicions it is developing nuclear weapons.
Many Iraqi Shiite leaders, who are now locked in struggle with Sunnis and Kurds over the formation of a new government, have long-standing ties with Iran's ruling Shiite clergy that go back to their years in exile during the regime of ousted president Saddam Hussein.
"I think that the Iraqi Shia are Iraqis myself," Rumsfeld said. "I think they are not going to be enamored of having help from across their border."
"So it is clearly a problem. Is it a threat to their security? Is it possible some more Iraqis will be killed? Sure," he said.
General Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said some improvised explosive devices and other weapons have been traced back to Iran.
"The most recent reports have to do with individuals crossing the border into Iraq," he told reporters.
Pace said he did not know whether the infiltrators had the backing of the Iranian government, nor could he say whether the flow of infiltrations is one the rise.
But Rumsfeld said "of course" the Iranian government was behind them.
"The Iranian Revolutionary Guard doesn't go milling around willy-nilly, one would think," Rumsfeld said.
Tue Mar 7, 12:40 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Iran of sending Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces into Iraq, and warned Tehran it was "an error in judgement."
"They are currently putting people into Iraq to do things that are harmful to the future of Iraq, and we know it, and it is something that they will look back on as having been an error in judgement," he told reporters here.
Pressed to elaborate, Rumsfeld said the Iranians were putting "Quds force-type people," or Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces, into Iraq.
"I don't think we could consider them religious pilgrims," Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld charges come amid heightened sectarian tension inside Iraq that have raised fears of civil war and a sharpening diplomatic confrontation with Iran over suspicions it is developing nuclear weapons.
Many Iraqi Shiite leaders, who are now locked in struggle with Sunnis and Kurds over the formation of a new government, have long-standing ties with Iran's ruling Shiite clergy that go back to their years in exile during the regime of ousted president Saddam Hussein.
"I think that the Iraqi Shia are Iraqis myself," Rumsfeld said. "I think they are not going to be enamored of having help from across their border."
"So it is clearly a problem. Is it a threat to their security? Is it possible some more Iraqis will be killed? Sure," he said.
General Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said some improvised explosive devices and other weapons have been traced back to Iran.
"The most recent reports have to do with individuals crossing the border into Iraq," he told reporters.
Pace said he did not know whether the infiltrators had the backing of the Iranian government, nor could he say whether the flow of infiltrations is one the rise.
But Rumsfeld said "of course" the Iranian government was behind them.
"The Iranian Revolutionary Guard doesn't go milling around willy-nilly, one would think," Rumsfeld said.