U.S. meets with Iran, no orange juice this time

Today talks between Iranian and American delegates begin. These are the first high-ranking authorized meetings between Iran and the U.S., not counting recent unofficial talks "over orange juice." On the agenda, the security situation in Iraq. These meetings are being billed as "the most significant talks between officials of the two countries in 27 years." It's hard to imagine sitting down with Iran and not even mentioning their nuclear program.

There has been some recent fighting between Muqtada al-Sadr’s militias and U.S. and British forces, but over all Sadr's militia has refrained from violence with the coalition. I am told that Sadr is against the Iranians interfering in Iraq's matters and has aided the U.S. in locating some of the Iranian forces.

Much was made of the recent arrest of Qais al-Khazali in Sadr city; however, Al-Khazali led a cell that had split from the Mahdi Army and was being directly funded by Iran, according to coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell.

On May 30, 2007, in the Bahamas, a gathering of individuals from the U.S., Israel, think-tanks, media and more, will meet to discuss options for dealing with Iran. I'd love to be a fly on that wall:

One obstacle to any rapprochement between Washington and Tehran is the determination of Iran's most implacable enemies in the U.S. to pursue a more confrontational policy. A powerful group of neo-conservatives — including some of those most active in promoting the invasion of Iraq — plans to gather for an all-expenses-paid conference entitled "Confronting The Iranian Threat: The Way Forward" on May 30 at a luxurious resort in the Bahamas. A number of those invited, which includes six current Bush administration officials, have been strident critics of Iran as well as Iraq hardliners. On a guest list of some 30 are a smattering of think-tank scholars and conservative opinion columnists, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, and his wife, Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky, as well as Uri Lubrani, the top Iran advisor to Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert. It was unclear who would actually show up, but a spokesman for the organizers, the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the meeting was intended "to bring together a wide range of experts to examine all options for dealing with Iran." (TIME)

In Diyala, Iraq, U.S. forces freed over 40 hostages in a torture room, one of the worst found so far. These torture rooms are thought to be run by al-Qaeda operatives. If Sadr is serious about wanting the foreign fighters out of Iraq, perhaps he could get his militia to help track down the al-Qaeda terrorists first. Once they are killed or arrested, then perhaps we could concentrate on the Iranians, Syrians, and Iraqi insurgents. Only then can Iraq be peaceful and free to set up a workable government. Only then could Sadr have any hope of being a read leader in the country.

Please read the following article. It is written from inside the Sadr camp, direct from Sadr's mouth via his advisor. It will give you a new look at the situation that could be in Iraq. We all want peace, let's try everything available to us to achieve it.

A People Awakens: Towards the National Liberation of Iraq (RightTruth Exclusive)

Other reading:
Assessing the Threat of a Nuclear al Qaeda, Stormwarning Counterterrorism Blog

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Comments

[Debbie]

Hamed, thank you for your comment. I too wish for peace and good relations between Iran and the United States. it would be wonderful. Americans know that many Iranians love the U.S.

We are upset that Iran would send QUD's forces to Iraq and also send arms and ammunition. This is not helpful to the coalition who are doing their best to rid the country of insurgents and al-Qaeda operatives.

We want peace with all people.

Please visit again.

[hamed]

Iran is regional power and US is world power. We need to work to each other and be partnership for peace. I'm Iranian and I'm from Tehran. I hope to see our governments have good relation and our country could help for keeping peace in the world.

I look to this negotiation and its result sensitively and I hope this meeting could be approach to good relation.

Hamed
Tehran

[Angel]

Iran understand one thing only Deb..and it sure isnt "dialogue!"

[Debbie]

Thomas and Stormwarning, good points both. We don't need to jump into another front until we can settle things in Iraq.

Maggie, I was shocked to read about that meeting in the Bahamas also. Each time I think I've heard it all, something like this pops up.

[Maggie M. Thornton]

Well don't you just love the whine about the all-paid get-together in the Bahamas, and even better that Time printed it. I say absolutely, neocons, get out there and meet with a pineapple drink and a tiny paper umbrella.

The UN has seen it's goal of allowing Iran to reach a stage of enrichment maturation. Now El-Baradi has told the world we cannot stop them. Well, boo-friggin'-hoo - okay, let's get on with it.

I say we start with a total and complete blockade of Iran. No oil in, and nothing - not a thing, coming out. There ARE alternatives...but then there's China and Russia, also.

We'd better be darn strong, and be strong right now.

Great info, as always, Debbie.

Maggie
Maggie's Notebook

[Stormwarning]

Many people would support a policy of a 3-front war, without thinking of the implications or alternatives.

[Thomas]

We also unofficially negotiated with Iran during the Iran-Contra affair. I wonder if diplomacy will work with Iran. The alternative appears to be three simultaneous wars of attrition.