Top Military Officer Says Iran Jeopardizing Peace In Iraq, Senators Want Diplomatic Talks [View All]

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Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The top uniformed U.S. military officer told Congress Tuesday that Iran is directly jeopardizing peace in Iraq, prompting fresh calls from senators that the U.S. pursue diplomatic talks with Tehran.

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Sen. Arlen Specter, a member of the panel, said he is most concerned about the Bush administration's refusal to fully engage Iran in diplomatic discussions. U.S. diplomats have met with Iranian officials as part of a broader regional conference on Iraq, but insisted that discussions be limited to Iraq.

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Specter, R-Pa., said past talks with the Soviet Union, Libya and North Korea proved helpful and that similar progress could be made with Iran.

If the government refuses to engage Iran, "we're missing a great opportunity to avoid a future conflict," Specter said.

Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Dianne Feinstein of California said they agreed and urged Defense Secretary Robert Gates to challenge President Bush's policy on Iran.

Gates said he supports sitting down with officials from Tehran, but only after the U.S. has developed significant leverage. In such cases as Libya and North Korea, these countries were seeking to relieve economic pressures imposed by sanctions, Gates said.



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