Iran's Ahmadinejad To Make Landmark Trip To Iraq

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, March 2 (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad makes a landmark trip to Iraq on Sunday, the first Iranian president to visit since the two neighbours fought a protracted war in the 1980s that killed a million people.

His trip is expected to be as much about symbolism as it will be about cementing ties between Shi'ite Iran and Baghdad's Shi'ite-led government. It will be closely watched by arch-foe the United States, which has more than 150,000 troops in Iraq.

Ahmadinejad, known for his provocative rhetoric, has said that the United States is to blame for violence in Iraq and called for U.S. troops to leave.

"Security for Iraq is security for Iran, and this does not suit the enemy because they do not want stability for the region, so they can continue their meddling in its affairs and justify the presence of its military," he said in an interview with Iraqi journalists published in local newspapers.

Speaking on the eve of his trip to Baghdad, Ahmadinejad said his visit would help improve security in Iraq.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSCOL131184

[wtmusic]

1. Bringing 500,000 of his best friends?

May he enjoy his vacation in West Iran-er, Iraq.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Ahmadinejad is 100% absolutely correct;

The United States is to blame for violence in Iraq.

Illegal "supreme crime" war invasions of aggression tend to do that.

[Amonester]

3. He should tell McLies he will help Iraqi shiites take care of al-CIAda

once all US troops will be out (when the Dem President will withdraw them).

Bet there won't be any al-CIAda there for long after that...

[cal04]

4. Ahmadinejad says Iraq visit opens new chapter in ties

Source: Reuters

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hailed a new chapter in ties with Iraq on Sunday, saying he was "truly happy" to make a landmark trip to Baghdad now that Iran's arch-foe Saddam Hussein had been deposed.

Ahmadinejad is the first Iranian president to go to Iraq since Saddam launched a ruinous eight-year war on Iran in 1980 in which a million people died. He is also the first leader from the region to visit since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

(snip)

Ahmadinejad rejected long-standing U.S. accusations, repeated by President George W. Bush on Saturday, that Iran is arming Shi'ite militias in Iraq who kill American soldiers.

"We tell Mr. Bush that accusing others without evidence will increase the problems in the region and will not solve them," Ahmadinejad said in translated remarks at a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.



Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02322419.htm

[Ghost Dog]

5. There's an excellent interview with Ahmadinejad (in Spanish) in today's El País.

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/pueblo/irani/dispuesto/afrontar/enemigo/cualquier/situacion/elpepuint/20080302elpepiint_1/Tes

I'll see if I have time to translate some or all of it later today, if nobody else does it first...

[tchunter]

6. isn't it somewhat telling that ahmadinejad can make announced visits...

but w, cheney, condeleeza, etc fly in by night with no notice?

[FarCenter]

7. Ahmadinejad in landmark Iraq visit

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has arrived in Iraq on a state visit.

He is the first Iranian president to visit Iraq since the two neighbours fought a war in the 1980s that killed more than a million people.

Ahmadinejad went straight into talks on Sunday with Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi president, and Nuri al-Maliki, the prime minister.

His trip is expected to be as much about symbolism as it will be about cementing ties between Iran and Baghdad's Shia-led government.

It will be closely watched by the US, which has more than 150,000 troops in Iraq.

"The talks we had were very positive," Ahmadinejad said at a joint news conference with Talabani.

"We have had good talks in a friendly and constructive environment. We have the same understanding of things and the two parties are determined to strengthen their political, economic and cultural co-operation."

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/500D41C2-8A6D-4E49-BF5D-1E4A42C2083E.htm

[ohio2007]

8. just making friends