Mubarak Warns U.S. Not to Attack Iran

[cal04]

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak strongly advised the United States not to attack Iran, warning that military action would create more terrorists in neighboring Iraq, according to comments published Wednesday. Mubarak also told Egyptian newspaper editors he warned Vice President Dick Cheney that ground troops "will have a hard time" in such a conflict. "If an airstrike (against Iran) takes place, then Iraq will be turned to terror groups," Mubarak was quoted as saying by the daily Al-Gomhouria.

He said Shiite Muslims in the Gulf region also could turn against the United States because "Iran generously provides for Shiites in every country and these people are ready to do anything if Iran is
attacked." Listen to my advice for once," he recalled telling Cheney in English. "You have vital interests in the Gulf region, especially oil."

The United States and other Western governments suspect that Iran's nuclear research program is a cover for weapons development and fear that Tehran is seeking to build an atomic bomb. Tehran insists it only wants to generate electricity. International negotiations over the crisis are under way. Mubarak said he hoped the issue would be resolved peacefully. When asked, he said it was unlikely Israel would launch a nuclear attack against Iran "because Iran owns ballistic missiles that it will launch against Israel and there will be huge destruction."

Mubarak added that such an attack also would spark revenge from Iraqi groups, extremists religious parties and organizations such as the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Mubarak spoke to the editors on his way back from a tour of Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060301/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_us_iran

[Greeby]

1. Even Daddy couldn't dissuade Lord Pissypants from going into Iraq

I doubt anything Mubarak says will change anything

[megatherium]

2. Letters to the editor in the NY Times this morning

likened the danger from Iran getting the bomb to the danger of Nazi Germany in 1938; most people didn't expect Germany to initiate wars of aggression but they did. If this is how the Bush adminsitration views Iran, as a threat of that order, we are in bad trouble.

[yourout]

6. That is an overly simplistic view and dead wrong.

The advent of the A-bomb changed the dynamics of would be aggressor nations. If and when Iran aquires the A-bomb they also aquire the possibility of it being used to wipe them off the face of the planet if they start invading their neibors.

[megatherium]

8. You are right. It's not a view I agree with,

but I wanted to point out those letters as representing a view that is held by many. And again, if that is the view of our war planners, that Iran is a gathering danger that needs to be countered even if it means war, we are in trouble.

I agree with the notion that if Iran acquires the bomb, all that would result is a regional cold war (Iran/Arab states; Iran/Israel). Iran might intensify a terrorism campaign (low-level war by proxy) against Israel, but not so much as to provoke open warfare with Israel since that would be too dangerous. Eventually, in the absence of American interference, the Iranian leadership would be replaced or become moderate (because the Iranian public resents the totalitarian religious regime). American interference (including threats of war) has the counterproductive effect of driving the Iranian people towards their leadership. Unfortunately, our leadership is ignorant and unprincipled.

[MrPrax]

3. Certain self-interest implied...

Mubarak own dictatorship might ignite and Mubarak might have to fight a 'war on terrorism' in his own country--afterall, Egypt is a good ally of the both the US and Israel.

[Tempest]

5. Exactly

Mubarak's pro-Bush, semi-dictatorial regime would be one of the dominos to fall.

[Warren Stupidity]

10. fight a 'war on terrorism' in his own country

He already is, at least in his view. The dictatorship retains its hold on power throught the brutal suppression of the islamist political opposition.

[Bumblebee]

4. The AP wire actually has a funnier headline --as in:

Mubarak Tells U.S. Not to Attack Iraq 10:19 a.m. ET

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak strongly advised the United States not to attack Iran, warning that military action would create more terrorists in neighboring Iraq, according to comments published Wednesday.

[European Socialist]

7. Let Russia handle it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Flashback Mubarack also begged Lord Pissipants NOT to attack

Iraq... and he was right too

[Andrushka]

11. He was indeed

"Mr Mubarak told students in Alexandria that many innocent Iraqis would be killed, and that an attack had the potential to destabilise the whole region...They do not buy the argument - put forward by Mr Cheney in his forceful speech on Monday - that toppling Saddam would enhance America's ability to make peace between Israel and the Arabs....In addition, a new war might destabilise Iraq, or even the region as a whole. It might produce fresh recruits for Osama Bin Laden and Islamic extremism."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2219775.stm

[TheModernTerrorist]

13. that IS what they want, basically

to destabilize the region in order to keep everyones' minds off of the crumbling economy, the gutting of everything from laws social programs... all in an effort to keep our minds on terrorism, while stealing money out from under our noses and perpetuating the myth of imminent danger until it becomes a reality...

...that sounds about right to me

[Rex]

12. Ouch, so much for war in March!

Got to get India fully on board first. Pakistan would be a bonus, as well as Turkey.