Reuters finally reporting: US forces raid Iranian consulate in Iraq - Iran agency

[helderheid]

Recasts with IRNA confirming raid)

ARBIL, Iraq, Jan 11 (Reuters) - U.S. forces raided the Iranian consulate office in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil on Thursday and arrested five employees, the official Iranian news agency IRNA said.

There was no immediate comment by the U.S. military on the raid which came hours after President George W. Bush vowed in a speech to interrupt what he called the "flow of support" from Iran and Syria for insurgent attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq.

The raid was the second such operation in the past month against Iranian interests in Iraq by U.S. forces.

"Around 5.00 a.m., after disarming the guards they (U.S. troops) broke into the office, without giving any explanation and arrested five employees," the official IRNA news agency reported, adding that documents and computers were seized.

It said Iran had sent a protest letter to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

More>>

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L11580349.htm

[oblivious]

1. Kurdish government in Iraq slams U.S. action in Irbil

Kurdish government in Iraq slams U.S. action in Irbil

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military operation in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil that resulted in the arrests of six Iranians drew a sharp denunciation from Iraq's Kurdish regional government Thursday.

A spokesman for the autonomous regional government and its presidency expressed their "alarm" and condemned the early Thursday action, which they characterized as a raid on the Iranian consulate in Irbil -- "which opened in the provincial capital in an agreement between the Iraqi government and the Iranian government."

The Kurdish regional government is based in Irbil.

The Kurdish statement -- which demands the immediate release of the detainees -- said the consulate is entitled to immunity in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations in 1963. (Posted 12:57 p.m.)
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/01/11/thursday/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[ktlyon]

2. George has been trying to provoke them for quite a while

protest the UN I hope
that is an act of war
at least it was when Iran seized our embassy

[BayCityProgressive]

3. Great

Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and destabalizing Haiti isn't enough....now he is trying to provoke Iran. Fucking Nazi.

[uppityperson]

4. So far Iran plays it cool.

JFC! USA just attacked Iran! aieeeeeee
This is much worse than "In December, U.S. forces in Baghdad arrested a number of Iranians they said were suspected of planning attacks on Iraqi security forces, including diplomats who were later turned over to Iraqi authorities." Arresting people vs attacking (excuse me, "raiding") a consulate.

[Gloria]

5. I heard this early this AM via shortwave and nearly FREAKED...

I just see the beginning of the push toward nuking Iran.
Who the F*CK is going to step in and stop this crap?????

[Supersedeas]

6. Diplomacy -- Crawford style