Wednesday, January 17, 2007

let bush and blair fuel the fire a little bit more!

Britain and US turn screws on Iran
Richard Beeston January 17, 2007 News.Com.AU

...In addition, US President George W.Bush has ordered the deployment of an air defence battalion equipped with Patriot missile batteries to protect America's Gulf Arab allies from possible air attack from Iran. ....Britain's contribution is two mine hunters, HMS Blyth and HMS Ramsey, which will remain in the Gulf for a two-year mission to keep shipping routes open in the event that Iran attempts to block oil exports. ...

guess that is what happens when:
Iran shoots down U.S. spy drone amid growing U.S. military pressure 17 Jan 2007 Iranian troops have shot down a U.S. pilotless spy plane recently, an Iranian lawmaker announced on Tuesday as Iran was facing increasing military pressure from its arch rival --the United States. The aircraft was brought down when it was trying to cross the borders "during the last few days," Seyed Nezam Mola Hoveizeh, a member of the parliament, was quoted by the local Fars News Agency as saying.

Britain and US turn screws on Iran
Richard Beeston January 17, 2007 News.Com.AU

BRITAIN has joined a campaign to strengthen substantially America's military presence in the Persian Gulf in an effort to blunt Iranian influence in Iraq and the region.

In a move likely to heighten tension, US forces have been ordered to detain Iranian agents in Iraq as outgoing US ambassador to Baghdad Zalman Khalilzad said: "We are going after their (Iran's) networks in Iraq."

The aim was to change the behaviour of the Islamic regime in Tehran, Mr Khalilzad said.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates accused Tehran of "very negative behaviour". The comments came as two British mine hunters arrived in the Gulf to reinforce a British Royal Navy frigate on patrol in the area.

Twice in the past few weeks US forces have detained Iranian officials in Iraq, first in Baghdad and last week in the northern city of Arbil. America has accused the Iranians of supporting militant Iraqi groups.

Although Mr Gates was recently an advocate of opening dialogue with Iran, as recommended by the Iraq Study Group, he told a NATO meeting that now was not the time to talk. Tehran's behaviour justified America's decision to beef up its military presence in the Gulf.

"We are simply reaffirming that statement of the importance of the Gulf region to the US and our determination to be an ongoing strong presence in the area," Mr Gates said.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier group entered the Gulf last month. It will be joined by the USS John C. Stennis carrier group. This is the first time since the invasion of Iraq four years ago that the US has deployed two carrier strike groups in the Gulf at one time.

In addition, US President George W.Bush has ordered the deployment of an air defence battalion equipped with Patriot missile batteries to protect America's Gulf Arab allies from possible air attack from Iran.

Britain's contribution is two mine hunters, HMS Blyth and HMS Ramsey, which will remain in the Gulf for a two-year mission to keep shipping routes open in the event that Iran attempts to block oil exports.

The White House has insisted that it has no plans to take military action against Iran.

But US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the build-up as an evolving strategy to confront Iran's "destabilising behaviour".

Ali Ansari, an Iranian expert at St Andrews University, warned that such a substantial military escalation could trigger a conflict accidentally. "There is a distinct possibility that the current cold war could turn hot," Dr Ansari said. "This is an accidental war waiting to happen."

The US military build-up is seen as an attempt by Washington to ease concerns among its traditional Arab allies in the region, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, whose leaders have spoken out against the danger of Iran extending its influence across the Middle East.

The Iranians and their Shia Muslim allies are regarded as the main beneficiaries of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

In Lebanon, Iran's proxy, Hezbollah, has emerged as the most powerful military force. The Arab Gulf states are also concerned that Iran will try to foment unrest among their Shia populations.

Of greater concern is Iran's nuclear ambitions. Tehran this week said it was stepping up its uranium enrichment program, which many fear could be a cover for producing highly enriched uranium, the fissile material needed to build an atomic bomb.

Last month, the UN Security Council called on Iran to halt its enrichment work and imposed limited sanctions. But the Iranians said yesterday they were pressing ahead and planned to have more than 3000 centrifuges to enrich uranium at the heavily fortified plant at Natanz.

In spite of Iran's defiance, there were reports that Tehran wanted to ease tensions with Washington.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly sent a letter to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia asking him to relay a goodwill message to Dr Rice, who arrived in Riyadh.

0 comments: