Next Stop Iran? Bush Administration Takes Escalation to New Heights
by Pamela LeaveyBush had barely finished speaking to the nation last night and pledging “to crack down on the Islamic Republic’s role in Iraqi violence,” when U.S. troops took that pledge an extra step and “raided an Iranian consulate in northern Iraq late Wednesday night.” Talk about taking Bush’s escalation to new heights. There will be no diplomacy with Iran and Syria — ignoring the recommendation of the Iraq Study Group and John Kerry — Bush obviously will only use muscle to make his point.
Bloomberg reports:
U.S. forces in Iraq raided Iran’s consulate in the northern city of Arbil and detained five staff members, a state-run Iranian news service said.
The U.S. soldiers disarmed guards and broke open the consulate’s gate before seizing documents and computers during the operation, which took place today at about 5 a.m. local time, the Islamic Republic News Agency said. There was no immediate information on whether any of those detained are diplomats.
The BBC reports:
The US military said it was still investigating, but that the building did not have diplomatic status…
AFP news agency quoted Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman as saying he did not know the nationality of the six but said they were “suspected of being closely tied to activities targeting Iraq and coalition forces”.
“I can confirm for you through our forces there that this is not a consulate or a government building,” he said.
However, Tehran said the attack violated all international conventions. It has summoned ambassadors from Switzerland, representing US interests, and Iraq.
A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry described the raid as an attempt to sabotage Tehran’s relations with Iraq. One Iranian MP said it showed America’s cruelty and meanness.
The raid comes amid high Iran-US tension.
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The American citizenship sent a powerful message to Washington in the November elections. We changed the power leadership, as well as the majority, of Congress in both chambers… the Senate and the House of Representatives. A Democrat majority was seated because the message America was sending along with them was that we were VERY dissatisfied with the President and his administration, as well as their failed domestic and foreign policies. We are sick of their spending habits, their failure to help Americans, their absalute assine policy in Iraq, their failure to those who lost their lives on 9/11, the lies and corruption… I could on but I am stopping here.
To the Democrat leadership:
We voted the Republicans out because of their failures, and we believed the Democrats would stand firm for the American people so we voted you in charge. Message to you… you can also be replaced!