Iraq President: “There is a big change in the mentality of the Sunni. They are now considering Iran is the danger and no longer considering America the danger.”
British military officers in Iraq have been party to secret talks with Sunni insurgent leaders there, Iraq’s president said in an interview published today, Tuesday, May 15.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph while in London, Jalal Talabani added that Sunni rebels were shifting their perceptions to view Shiite-dominated Iran as more of a threat than foreign forces.
“There are resistance movements that are now meeting with the prime minister, with me, with British military officers and the ambassador for reconciliation talks,” Talabani told the paper.
“The biggest step forward would be to have the full participation of all the main groups in Iraq … We need national unity. We must convince the Sunni Arabs they are a real partner.”
Talabani reiterated comments made at Cambridge University last week when he said coalition troops would have to stay in Iraq until the end of next year, at which point they would be able to leave.
He also said Sunni insurgents felt more threatened by Iran than by coalition troops.
“There is a big change in the mentality of the Sunni Arab,” he said.
“They are now considering Iran is the danger and no longer considering America the danger.”
Talabani also linked Iran’s battles against internal dissent with attacks against British forces in southern Iraq.
“When there are some attacks (in Iran) they think it is British-backed activities, so they (the Iranians) do some limited things in Basra,” he said.
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Even if Talibani is technically more or less right, ANY timeline is foolish to make public in this situation. In practical terms, I anticipate either a) a gradual and conditional drawdown, or b) a robust permanent basing at the request of the Iraqi government.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:59 pmAn amazing flash of the obvious; MSM at its best, a day late and a dollar short. Iran has been the issue in Iraq long before April 2003 when the US actually became the catalyst for change.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:05 pmjust because we are less of a threat to them doesnt mean we arent their enemy. They dont love us and never will no matter who is in power, bu they do hate shiites paricularly iran. they will use us to get at iran if they need to. I suggest we stabilize iraq use covert ops in iran, then get the hell out of there. let them fight each other.
May 15th, 2007 at 2:42 amHistory repeats.
May 15th, 2007 at 4:55 amPerhaps all Iraquiis can come to know the real enemy. We have to stop the democrat defeatist propaganda at home, and somehow, curb the “America the Opressor” rhetoric at home.
I find it hilarious that the sunnis “see Iran as the bigger threat”. Of course Iran is a bigger threat to them! The Shiite Persians would like nothing more than world domination and subjugation of all non-Shia. They want control of Mecca, Medina, and the Al Aqsa mosque of Jerusalem, that sits on the site of the Jewish temple. They may allow “people of the book” (Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians) the “favor” of dhimmitude, but Sunnis are considered apostates, thercefore deserving only death.
May 15th, 2007 at 5:47 amWhatever will the defeat-o-crats say now?
May 15th, 2007 at 3:28 pmI think the progress on the ground in Iraq is going to cause the d’rat to go completely off the rails, for a couple of examples: that piece of shit reid came out and stongly stated the war is lost and we know that piece of human debris has seen the intel before us, and you have newsweek calling Bush insane for believing in victory, (http://newsbusters.org/node/12756)
hang on if the progress continues you are going to see impeachment hearings start, crazy accusations flying, complete bold face lies and whatever else those fucks come up with, hang on this is gonna get wierd
and never let anything go by uncontested
May 15th, 2007 at 5:03 pmTalibani said that the coalition fcorces would have to stay for at least another year.
WTF What are the democrats pissing about.
May 16th, 2007 at 4:12 amWhat if the problem for the d’rats here. The US is still in Japan(okinawa,guam etc)55 years, on the DMZ in Korea (54 years ago) Germany since 1945(62 years ago)and have been in Iraq for 5 years, “Goodness gracious me!” as Peter Sellars would have said in his best colonial Indian Voice. Ans as Rumsfled47 would have said at least
If the people of Iraq want the US and coalition forces to stay then stay they should until the”job is done” and until this time may they stay and bring peace and harmony to the frightened and ever grateful Iraqis who risked everything to vote in their elections. They dont want to be massacared by the taliban. They only want to be left alone to raise their kids and get on with their lives. Alone, without interference. The coalition is the first step, nancy etc, not the last post.Fuck you for all your unpatriotic, communist rhetorick. May you get an incurable disease. Sorry, you already have one. Socialism
Just a thought from an aussie
Lately seeing lots of pictures of our troops walking among Iraqi’s with big smiley faces. That I could get used to.
August 9th, 2007 at 5:41 am