Shifting Sands: Iraq Power Vacuum, Winner Iran

by phrolen | August 28, 2007 at 10:58 am | 327 views | 1 comment

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NowPublic contributor phrolen is a veteran of Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Joint Taskforce Katrina. His commentary is based on actual
experience.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated defiantly in a speech on Tuesday that the U.S.'s political power was waning and that Iran would begin stepping up efforts to fill the power vacuum in Iraq. "We are prepared, with the help of neighbors and regional friends like Saudi Arabia and with the help of the Iraqi people." Ahmadinejad stated. Iran has been implicated by the United States as supplying weapons and training to fighters in Iraq and Iraqi Sunnis have long claimed that without strong Sunni leadership in Iraq, Iran would dominate the nation’s political landscape.

Ahmadinejad's statement comes on the heels of a speech by French President Nicholas Sarkozy where Sarkozy implored world leaders to step up pressure on Iran or face "An Iranian bomb, or the bombing of Iran." Western governments have been stepping up pressure on Iran’s theocratic regime as of late over U.S. and Israeli claims that the regime is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Iran denies the claim but refuses to give inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency full inspection rights of Iranian nuke facilities.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Tuesday that a power vacuum is imminent in Iraq and said that Iran was ready to help fill the gap.

"The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly," Ahmadinejad said at a press conference in Tehran, referring to U.S. troops in Iraq. "Soon, we will see a huge power vacuum in the region. Of course, we are prepared to fill the gap, with the help of neighbors and regional friends like Saudi Arabia, and with the help of the Iraqi nation."

Although Ahmadinejad did not elaborate how Iran could fill a power gap, his bold remarks reflected what may be perceived as Iran's eagerness for an increasing role on its neighbor's political scene.

Earlier this month, during a visit here by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Iranian leaders said that only a U.S. pullout would bring peace to Iraq and pledged their government would do its best to help stabilize the country.

Ahmadinejad accused the United States of interfering in Iraq's internal affairs, and dismissed U.S. criticism of al-Maliki's unsuccessful efforts to reconcile the country's Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.

"They rudely say (the Iraqi) prime minister and the constitution must change," Ahmadinejad said. "Who are you? Who has given you the right" to ask for such a change, he added, addressing the U.S. critics of al- Maliki, who is also a Shiite.

Ahmadinejad dismissed the possibility of any U.S. military action against Iran.

"I tell you resolutely that there is no possibility, whatsoever, of such a decision in the U.S.," Ahmadinejad told reporters. "Even, if they were to decide to do so, they would be unable to carry it out."