Rice asks Arab allies to back Bush plan(Iraq or Iran?)

[maddezmom]

JERUSALEM - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asked Arab allies to help support the fragile government in Iraq, on whose success much of President Bush's new plan to turn the war around will depend.

~snip~

"As a key component of the Iraqi social fabric, the Iraqi Sunni community must be included as partners in building Iraq's future," said the king, a leading U.S. ally in the Mideast.

Along with other U.S. allies like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Jordan is concerned about the growing Shiite Muslim influence, stretching from Iran through Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. The fear is that the hardline Tehran government will dominate the Mideast and give rise to more extremism, jeopardizing a Mideast settlement and threatening those nations.

Bush's new strategy to send thousands more troops to Iraq met with strong skepticism across the Mideast, where many predicted that even with more soldiers, America would fail to break the cycle of violence.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070115/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rice

Rice to head to Middle East with Iran in her sights

~snip~
But on the eve of her departure, Rice said the main goal of her trip was to counter Iranian influence and promote the Bush administration's new strategy in Iraq, which includes the deployment of an extra 21,500 US troops, bolstering reconstruction aid and sending Patriot missile defense systems to the region to protect moderate Arab allies.

"What we are ... looking at is the need to solidify the consensus, the interest of these states that all fear Iran's moves in the region, fear the regional aggression of Iran," Rice said.

more:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2685696

Bush, Cheney renew Iran warning to stay out of Iraq
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney issued new warnings to Iran, saying it must keep out of Iraq, but Iraq's foreign minister instead called for the release of five Iranians in US custody in his country.

Bush, in an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes," warned Iranian Presiden Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "If we catch your people inside (Iraq) harming US citizens or Iraqi citizens you know we will deal with them."

~snip~

Vice President Dick Cheney told Fox News Iran was "fishing in troubled waters" in Iraq by aiding attacks on US forces and backing Shiite militia involved in sectarian violence against minority Sunnis that has pushed the country towards civil war.

Referring to Bush speech last week outlining his new Iraq strategy and warnings to Iraq's neighbors, Cheney said: "I think the message (he) sent clearly is that we do not want (Iran) doing what they can to try to destabilize the situation inside Iraq."

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070115/pl_afp/usiraqiran_070115070730

[SpiralHawk]

1. Hang it up, Condi. You and your AWOL Commander are Miserable Failures

Everyone knows it. Get a clue. It's time to go back to work for Big Oil, like your other republicon cronies.

Retire now, and let America return to the days of integrity, honor and respect.

[flordehinojos]

2. o, how i hope they all, "just say, NO."

how i hope they all just put a red ribbon on their lapel and just say, NO!

[rodeodance]

3. she is suppose to be involved in diplomacy, Insteadd she sells

a bush plan.

its what they do best.

[LiberalFighter]

4. Do we still have any Arab allies?

[leesa]

5. Amazing...they are just flat out trying to pretend that THEY aren't the ones who installed the

Shiites in Iraq. It wasn't Iran who put them in power. The US put the Shiites in power...remember those purple fingers?? What majority do you suppose they were voting for?