Barrages of rockets have recently been launched at the fortified "Green Zone" in Iraq. The green zone is the base of American troops in the country along with the headquarters for the current Iraqi government and US embassy. General David Petraeus, the most senior military office in Iraq, had stated that he believes that the rockets launched at the Green Zone in Iraq were Iranian made and supplied weaponry used by groups trained by the Iranian Qods Force, a branch of the Revolutionary Guard.
Petraeus accused the Iranian regime of violating promises made in the past to the Americans and Iraqis to prevent any attacks that could be contributed to certain Iranian elements. Iran has consistently denied any involvement and considers such accusations as pretexts designed to serve as pressure tactics against Iran. Meanwhile Iran has joined the US in Iraq, discussing ways they might utilize to enhance security in Iraq.
This past week the US and Iraqi Governments ordered attack on the Mahdi Army of Mr. Moqtada Sadr but the operation seems to have failed to root out the Mahdi Army. The US now say that the Iraqi Government alone ordered the fight! The US also accuses Iran of supporting the Mahdi Army. Yet Iran can hardly be behind the Mahdi Army as those in the Iraqi Government, fighting the Mehdi Army, are its closer allies.
As the United States military voices concern and accuses Iran of undermining stability in Iraq, US Vice President Dick Cheney had also been on a tour of the Middle East with Iran high on the agenda. In addition to the recent accusation of rogue Iranian involvement in Iraq, Cheney accused Iran of derailing peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The allegation was made after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The Israeli Prime Minister stated that "we are both very concerned about Iran." Cheney's trip was also followed by a very loud new Arab claim against the Iranian Islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa in the Persian Gulf.
Meanwhile, as the French President Nicolas Sarkozy inaugurated a new nuclear submarine called "The Terrible," he pointed to the insecurity facing Europe because of the development of Iran's long-range missile technology. In the past Sarkozy has called for a tougher stand against Iran's attempt to "build bombs" even if he has never given any indication of his source for such high-placed concern.
Iran argues that these developments are part of a new game designed to increase pressure on it as the country refuses to accept the UN Security Council's recommendation that it stops nuclear enrichment. Iran maintains that it has the right to civilian use of nuclear technology and that it will not accept any precondition to negotiate its enrichment programs. The Security Council's precondition for negotiation is that Iran first stop enrichment.
Some experts worry that these new developments are designed to prepare for military strikes against Iran sometimes during the remaining months of the Bush Administration. They believe that Israelis are very concerned that the next US Administration may not be as anti-Iran as the current Administration is. While it is extremely difficult for the current US Administration to take a military action against Iran, that possibility should not be fully dismissed.
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