NYT: Iran Is Playing a Growing Role in Iraq Economy

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/17/world/middleeast/17iran.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin

Iran Is Playing a Growing Role in Iraq Economy
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images, for The New York Times

By EDWARD WONG
Published: March 17, 2007

snip//

The close ties with Iran in the south have drawn scrutiny from the United States, Iraqi officials say. At one point, Najaf Province came close to hiring an Iranian company to build an airport, but the deal was scuttled at the last minute by the Transportation Ministry in Baghdad, officials with the Supreme Council said. They suspect the United States of putting pressure on the ministry.

“The Americans don’t want to bring Iranians to Najaf,” Mr. Abu Galal said. “The Americans want to control the sky.”

A senior American official in Baghdad declined to comment specifically on the Najaf airport project, but said the Americans did look carefully at major business exchanges with Iran. “We pay a lot of attention,” he said. “We don’t want people working for the intelligence services to get contracts for projects here in Iraq.”

Tensions between the United States and Iran have increased tremendously in recent months. The White House, saying Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons, has urged the United Nations to impose harsh sanctions. It has also accused Iran of exporting deadly explosives to Shiite militias in Iraq.

But the senior American official said the growth in trade between Iraq and Iran was generally positive. “I wouldn’t link the rise in trade with Iran with Iranian political influence,” said the official, who requested anonymity, following diplomatic protocol. “As long as this is normal economic activity that doesn’t have security implications, it’s a good step.”

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[Bonobo]

1. Wait! I have an idea!

The problem is the fear of the predominately Shiite Iraq hooking up with the Shiite Iran, right? Too much power, too much oil, right? Not friends with out buddies in Saudi Arabia, right?

Okay, okay. Stay with me. Here's what we need.

A strong leader who is Sunni, but secular. Really secular. I mean this guy won't even have a beard secular. Get me?

Okay. He's gonna have to be strong enough to keep the Shiites from gaining power but at the same time keep the country working efficiently. He'll need to appeal to Iraqi Nationalism, only way it'll work. He'll have to have the Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds all feel like Iraquis. Frankly he'll have to be a ruthless bastard to keep the warring factions at bay and off eachother's asses.

Any ideas?

:sarcasm: