U.S. denies asking for Iranian help in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/OLI232414.htm

BAGHDAD, March 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador in Baghdad denied on Sunday seeking Iran's help to calm violence in Iraq.

Britain's Sunday Times newspaper said journalists in Tehran had been shown a letter by a senior Iranian intelligence agent that was purportedly from U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and which invited Iran to send representatives to talks in Iraq.

"Ambassador Khalilzad has the authority to meet with Iranian officials to discuss issues of mutual concern," the embassy said in a statement.

"But he has not sent a letter in any language to the Iranians."

[teryang]

1. Who's zooming who?

<Some analysts and Iraqi politicians say Iran, close to many of the leaders of Iraq's new, ruling Shi'ite Islamist parties, has an interest in promoting some instability in Iraq to divert U.S. pressure on itself.

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said recently that Iran was meddling in Iraq by sending Revolutionary Guards forces into the country. >

How long will the administration's international weakness go unrecognized? Our unwanted regime is either going to have to go through a humiliating (but orderly) withdrawal or a diastrous withdrawal complete with helocopter evacuations from the rooftops.