Iran Offers to Train Iraqi Police and Border Guards

[ECH1969]

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran offered to train Iraqi police and border guards two days before it was scheduled to host a meeting of security chiefs from Iraq's neighboring states, the official news agency reported Sunday. It was unclear how Iraq would respond to the Iranian offer. The countries fought a war from 1980-88 that killed or wounded nearly one million people on both sides.

"The Islamic Republic is ready to train Iraqi police and border guards and even equip them as well as help with the country's reconstruction," said Ali Asghar Ahmadi, Iran's deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency.

Egypt and Jordan also have offered to train Iraqi security personnel and technocrats. Iraqi officials have criticized Iran for leaving its long borders with Iraq open to insurgents, and for "meddling" in their country's affairs. Iraqi Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan had said Iran was his country's "first enemy" because it provided guns to insurgents. The United States has demanded that Iran do more to stop foreign fighters from crossing into Iraq.

Ahmadi again denied those charges Sunday, and said Iranian border guards are in charge of guaranteeing security of the two countries approximately 1,000-mile-long common border.

Ahmadi was to attend the two-day meeting of interior ministers of Iraq's neighbors plus Egypt. The conference of ministers from Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Analysts say Iran hopes hosting the meeting will send a signal, particularly to the United States, that it recognizes the threat the al-Qaida terror group poses both to Iraq and to itself. Al-Qaida, which is led by Osama bin Laden, has strong ties to the major Iraqi insurgency group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBO24LW32E.html

[necso]

1. "Al-Qaida, which is led by Osama bin Laden,

has strong ties to the major Iraqi insurgency group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi."

And this is based on what? -- That "statement" by "al-Zarqawi"? And just how big is his "following" in Iraq anyway? And is Osama even still "leading" Al-Qaida?

And the following quote sounds like the drum beat to another war to me.

"Iraqi officials have criticized Iran for leaving its long borders with Iraq open to insurgents, and for "meddling" in their country's affairs. Iraqi Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan had said Iran was his country's "first enemy" because it provided guns to insurgents. The United States has demanded that Iran do more to stop foreign fighters from crossing into Iraq."

Those "foreign fighters" again -- how many of these (actual fighters) have we ever discovered? I also find it interesting that the US is the source of the concern about those "foreign fighters" crossing from Iran. Did the puppets omit this part of the talking points?

[Tempest]

2. 50% of Iraqi police quit or deserted

http://tinyurl.com/5pd74