Bush To Speak With Maliki On Iran

For my final post of the night, I would like to note that the president today stated that if Prime Minister Maliki did not get the Iran threat, he would have a sit-down with him. Might we suggest a brick as a negotiating tool?

In a muted warning to his Iraqi counterpart, President Bush said today that Iran was a destabilizing factor in the Middle East, and he promised that if Prime Minister Nouri Maliki did not share that view he would have a "heart to heart" talk with him.

Bush, appearing at a White House news conference, charged that Tehran was a multifaceted danger with its support of terrorist groups, its threats to Israel and its provision of sophisticated explosives to Iraqi militias that are using them to attack U.S. troops. He said Iran would face unspecified "consequences" if it continued to provide explosives.

He said he presumed that Maliki shared his view that Iran was not a constructive force in the region, and believed that the Iraqi leader, in meetings this week with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, would urge the Iranian to halt his government's disruptive activities.

Bush's comments point to the challenges Washington faces in trying to strengthen the relationship between Tehran and the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad. Though U.S. officials acknowledge that there will inevitably be a close relationship between the neighboring governments, they are watching with concern as the ties deepen.

During the 45-minute news conference, held before Bush leaves for vacation in Maine, the president also argued that Iraq's central government, though gridlocked on key legislation, deserves credit for channeling billions of dollars to provincial and local governments. He also said he saw new life in local government, notably in long-troubled Al Anbar province.

Bush appeared to be building an argument for continuing the current U.S. strategy in Iraq. Senior U.S. commander in Iraq Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker are to deliver a congressionally mandated report on the progress of the troop buildup next month.

Why do we recommend the brick? Because Maliki is talking directly with Iran, and not making the point forceful enough that Iran needs to keep it's dogs in it's own yard, that's why. There is a distinct possibility that there will be diplomatic relations between the two nations, but that should come AFTER Iraq is stabilized and functioning. While the stability is, in effect, working through the Surge to curtail the violence, and unite the people to stand up for themselves, the politicians remind us a bit of Washington, DC. At least those in the Parliament.

At least congressional people here know where they can go if they lose in 2008, right?

Seriously though, the threat that Iran poses must be made abundantly clear to Maliki. they are funding, supplying, and encouraging the terrorists in Iraq. They have supplied them with weapons that are being used to kill our soldiers. The borders themselves should be sealed to Iran, and if anything comes over the border that is not an escaping refugee, or the like, it should be arrested. If it shoots, you kill it. This is the only way Tehran is going to get the message.

Nuts like Ahmadinejad respect force and strength, not negotiation and capitulation.

Marcie