U.S. Envoy Says Iran Is Arming Taliban

[Logan13]

U.S. Envoy Says Iran Is Arming Taliban
06/12/07
PARIS (AP) - A senior U.S. diplomat accused Iran on Tuesday of transferring weapons to Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan—the most direct comments yet on the issue by a ranking American official.
Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, speaking to reporters in Paris, said Iran was funding insurrections across the Middle East—and "Iran is now even transferring arms to the Taliban in Afghanistan."

Iran's possible role in aiding insurgents in Iraq has long been hotly debated, and last month some Western and Persian Gulf governments charged that the Islamic government in Tehran is secretly bolstering Taliban fighters.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, U.S. Army Gen. Dan McNeill said Taliban fighters are showing signs of better training, using combat techniques comparable to "an advanced Western military" in ambushes of U.S. Special Forces soldiers.

"In Afghanistan it is clear that the Taliban is receiving support, including arms from ... elements of the Iranian regime," British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote in the May 31 edition of the Economist.

Iran, which is also in a dispute with the West over its nuclear program, denies the Taliban accusation, calling it part of a broad anti-Iranian campaign. Tehran says it makes no sense that a Shiite-led government like itself would help the fundamentalist Sunni movement of the Taliban.

[Tock]

Ya, and Iraq was chuck full of WMD's too.

Those idiots in Washington are just itching to start a war with Iran. Any of you draft-age guys wanna go?

[Logan13]

Ya, and Iraq was chuck full of WMD's too.

Those idiots in Washington are just itching to start a war with Iran. Any of you draft-age guys wanna go?

It's hilarious how you give the middle east countries the benfit of the doubt, but not your own country. I will pay for your flight, should you wish to move you and all of your cats to Iran................

[deadlifts]

Ya, and Iraq was chuck full of WMD's too.

Those idiots in Washington are just itching to start a war with Iran. Any of you draft-age guys wanna go?

Tock we talked about this....the guys in Washington are the "evil shadow people" that think of ways to start wars for no reason and kill americans. Remember tock this is our little secret ok lil buddy?? Don't let the others know!

[mcpeepants]

It's hilarious how you give the middle east countries the benfit of the doubt, but not your own country. I will pay for your flight, should you wish to move you and all of your cats to Iran................

the bush administration is always right squawk

[spywizard]

we should wait and see what the UN says about all this.. after all they did such a good job with the Food for Fuel program..

[Hoggage_54]

The US Army is now supplying weapons to Sunni insurgents... WTF!?

[Hoggage_54]

^ Seriously, check it out!

http://fe43.news.sp1.yahoo.com/s/afp...militaryunrest

[MrNice]

I'm afraid the US can't bitch about anyone arming anyone.

I lost friends in Northern Ireland, shot dead by American-funded, American-supported, American-armed terrorists. (in fact it was an American Armalite rif-le specifically, sold by a sympathetic American to Irish terrorists in Boston)

Not to mention the US armed the Afghans against the Soviets for years, you can't go around arming everyone you agree with, then bitch when others do it.

It sucks yeah, but its the way of the world.

[mcpeepants]

The US Army is now supplying weapons to Sunni insurgents... WTF!?

arming our enemies enemy has repeatedly comes back to bit the US in the butt. then when they attack us, politicians and pundits are going to act like how could we have known they would attack us. i guess they must hate freedom or something.

[Logan13]

I'm afraid the US can't bitch about anyone arming anyone.

I lost friends in Northern Ireland, shot dead by American-funded, American-supported, American-armed terrorists. (in fact it was an American Armalite rif-le specifically, sold by a sympathetic American to Irish terrorists in Boston)

Not to mention the US armed the Afghans against the Soviets for years, you can't go around arming everyone you agree with, then bitch when others do it.

It sucks yeah, but its the way of the world.

Thats not the point. By arming our enemy, we are in a defacto war with Iran already. Iran is arming the Taliban, Iraq insurgents, Hamas, and Hezbollah. No one has done anything about it, but in the next 3-5 years, someone with have to......And when we do, the above facts will be used to support such efforts.

[MrNice]

Thats not the point. By arming our enemy, we are in a defacto war with Iran already. Iran is arming the Taliban, Iraq insurgents, Hamas, and Hezbollah. No one has done anything about it, but in the next 3-5 years, someone with have to......And when we do, the above facts will be used to support such efforts.

By your reasoning you were in a defacto war with the UK during the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland. And the Soviets when they were in Afghanistan

[Logan13]

By your reasoning you were in a defacto war with the UK during the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland. And the Soviets when they were in Afghanistan

So it is your stance that we are not in a defacto war with Iran? This really isn't open to interpretation, it is fact based on the definition. We were in a de facto war with the USSR, but I do not understand the UK scenario.