Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

May 13, 2008 4:27:32 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

Back to the grid

Iran Is Now a Bigger Threat in Iraq Than al-Qaeda: US Officials  

Posted Apr 12, 08 3:06 PM CDT in World    Editor's Choice

(newser) – Recent battles in Basra prove that Iran is crippling Iraqi stability while al-Qaeda's influence there wanes, US officials say. David Petraeus pointed to Iran's influence in testimony this week, and now Shiite militias are said to have benefited from Iranian weapons, training, and guidance in Basra fighting—prompting a Washington probe of Iran's impact, the Washington Post reports.

Al-Qaeda is “in retreat and disarray,” one official said, but “the Iranian-armed militias are now the biggest threat to internal order.” Yet Iran's influence may not spark a broader war: President Bush said he is reluctant to push for war with Iran, and Nouri al-Maliki’s offensive against the Shiite militias may give him credibility with Iraqi Sunnis and Kurds.

Source Washington Post

open commentscomments (0)

Editor Recommended

Crocker: Iran stirring Shiite "backlash"
AFP | Apr 11, 08

Gates: Sadr needs to be part of the peace process
Reuters | Apr 11, 08

Cleric: Iran contributed to Iraq stability
IranMania | Apr 12, 08

Related News

  • Bush Backs Petraeus' Pause

    Apr 10, 08 12:22 PM CDT
    Bush Backs Petraeus' Pause Vowing that Gen. David Petraeus will have “all the time he needs” in Iraq, President Bush today announced a pause, from August until at least mid-September, in withdrawal of troops from Iraq, CNN reports. Citing the post-surge security gains, Bush said, “we have renewed and revived the prospect of success” in a war he characterized as “difficult, not endless.” More »

  • Iraqi Assault on Basra Was 'Thrown Together'

    Apr 3, 08 6:37 AM CDT
    Iraqi Assault on Basra Was 'Thrown Together' American officials were expecting a gradual, methodical operation when Nouri al-Maliki moved Iraqi troops into Basra to restore order in the city. What they witnessed instead was a rush job: an Iraqi raid that had little forethought and began even before the last of the soldiers had arrived. "He went in with a stick and he poked a hornet's nest," one coalition official told the New York Times. More »

  • Petraeus: Iran Behind Green Zone Attack

    Mar 24, 08 4:37 PM CDT
    Petraeus: Iran Behind Green Zone Attack Gen. David Petraeus says Iran was behind yesterday's mortar attack on Baghdad's Green Zone, the BBC reports. Tehran trained, equipped, and funded the insurgents who carried out the attack, he said. "All of this in complete violation of promises made by President Ahmadinejad and the other most senior Iranian leaders to their Iraqi counterparts," said the commander of coalition forces in Iraq. More »

  • Cheney Makes Surprise Visit to Baghdad

    Mar 17, 08 6:45 AM CDT
    Cheney Makes Surprise Visit to Baghdad Leading Iraq war architect Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit to Baghdad today, beginning a nine-day Middle East tour by promising Iraq the "unwavering commitment of the United States in finishing the difficult work that lies ahead." John McCain, traveling as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, simultaneously met with other Iraqi leaders in the capital, AFP reports. More »

  • Ahmadinejad to Visit Iraq

    Mar 1, 08 7:48 PM CST
    Ahmadinejad to Visit Iraq Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will fly to Baghdad Sunday to meet with Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, the first state visit ever by an Iranian president, the BBC reports. Sunni Iraqi leaders expressed outrage over the visit, which also comes a day after the US claimed further evidence of Iranian meddling in the country—a sniper "trained in Iran," US military said.  More »

Iran Is Now a Bigger Threat in Iraq Than al-Qaeda: US Officials
During their congressional testimony, Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus barely mentioned al-Qaeda.   (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
Iran Is Now a Bigger Threat in Iraq Than al-Qaeda: US Officials
Gen. David Petraeus has criticized Nouri al-Maliki's offensive against Shiite insurgents.   (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
Iran Is Now a Bigger Threat in Iraq Than al-Qaeda: US Officials
Gen. David Petraeus said Iran's influence in facilitating discussions among the Iraqi factions was significant.   (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
Iran Is Now a Bigger Threat in Iraq Than al-Qaeda: US Officials
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Iran exerts a "malign" influence over Iraq.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Iran Is Now a Bigger Threat in Iraq Than al-Qaeda: US Officials
The US blames Iran for supporting Mahdi Army fighters, who have continued battling US and Iraqi forces in Basra.   (AP Photo)
Iran Is Now a Bigger Threat in Iraq Than al-Qaeda: US Officials
The US blames Iran for supporting Mahdi Army fighters, who have continued battling American and Iraqi forces in Basra.   (AP Photo)
prev   next
play

Threads (1 of 4)

Tags

Iraq  • Iran  • Baghdad  • David Petraeus  • insurgents  • al-Qaeda in Iraq  • Basra  • Ryan Crocker  • Arabs


Loading...

Loading...

Related Threads: Iran, President Bush, Iran in Iraq, Al-Sadr's War

Next story from this section »

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »