UPDATED ON:
Friday, October 24, 2008
02:35 Mecca time, 23:35 GMT
News Middle East
Iran accuses US of 'pillaging' Iraq
The US-Iraq draft pact governs the US military presence in Iraq [AFP]

Iran has said the proposed US-Iraq security pact is aimed at keeping Iraq weak in order to help the United States "pillage" the country.

Ali Kordan, Iran's interior minister, reiterated Tehran's opposition to the deal on Thursday during a meeting in Jordan with his counterparts from Iraq, Turkey and Gulf Arab states.

"Iran opposes any document that would threaten Iraq's interests," Kordan said.

The draft deal to replace a UN mandate expiring this year calls for US combat forces to withdraw by the end of 2011 and includes US concessions on jurisdiction over its troops accused of "serious crimes" while off duty or off base.

The Iraqi cabinet decided on Tuesday to seek certain revisions to the draft, triggering warnings from senior US military and political figures about the risks of not agreeing to a deal.

'Iranian interference'

The United States has accused Iran of "undermining" the deal, with Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state saying: "I think the Iraqis can defend their interests without the Iranians, thank you very much."

"What the Iranians were doing was arming special groups in the south who were killing innocent Iraqis. So frankly I don't take these comments very seriously," she said.

Rice also reiterated that the security pact - that has been the subject of months of difficult negotiations with the Iraqis - was "a good agreement".

 Source: Agencies
 
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Feedback Number of comments : 14
 
boy_george
Mozambique
24/10/2008
Iran accuses US of pillaging Iraq
We all know that the US wreaked havoc to Iraq. The country is in ruins, men were killed, women were rape, oil is exploited. what more pillaging can you do? US, it's time to go home do some soul searching.

Teo
Canada
24/10/2008
pillaging Iraq
Invading Iraq under fabricated and forged pretexts, false assumption, lies. Murdering 1 million innocent Iraqis, and wasting lives and limbs of Americans, igniting sectarian divide, arming opposing groups, sitting on board of Oil Ministry, forcing the Oil Law, running the most brutal torture chambers in Abu Ghraib and other prisons, Using banned weapons, and the most brutal mass murder of Iraqis, short list of America’s report card. Rice is so shameless imposing US interests on occupies Iraq?

k.
Afghanistan
24/10/2008
US administration being much concerned with peace, love and justice, and nothing else in Iraq, some slight explanation may perhaps be expected.

Joe
Australia
24/10/2008
Yea! Right!
"I think the Iraqis can defend their interests without the Iranians, thank you very much." Just like the Kuwaitis could have defended themselves without any US intervention. Hypocritical warmonger er!

In the Name of Justice
Canada
24/10/2008
The Americans and the British are yet to be prosecuted for their killings and torture of the Iraqis. How could Condoleezza Rice point fingers towards Iraqis fighting for their freedom while her associates are the actual criminals? Why does Iraqi government have to sign an "agreement" with the U.S.? Did the Americans free Iraq or are they enslaving them? Where is the United Nations and how long the Arab World will be asleep?

Tom
Australia
24/10/2008
Iran accuses US of pillaging Iraq
The Iranian foreign minister has just said what everyone already knows, namely that the US involvement in Iraq has always been for the purpose of exploiting their oil reserves. Given the lives lost, it is expensive oil, but I doubt that Halliburton, Bush & co are concerned about lives.

Arjen
Netherlands
28/10/2008
Pillaging please
Pillaging? Oh please "Iran opposes any document that would threaten Iraq's interests" Who are they to judge what's best for their neighbour? What arrogance. The US invasion was a mess, with intention to get to cheap oil. But the civil war in Iraq has had a great help from the iranians. The only country that is to profit from a destabilized Iraq is Iran. With Iraq destabilized oil prices would stay high, so more revenues for the the land of the Aryans.

George
Canada
24/10/2008
Undeniable Truth
What Iran says is absolutely true. And all the world knew, way back before the United Hates attacked Iraq in the first place, that the American goal was to pillage Iraq and leave it in ruins and dependent. So now the United States can "take its ill-got plunder and bury the dead". All million-plus of the dead. I don't think the Americans are planning on establishing gardens and parks with waterfalls in Iraq. As the world knows, the United States' power is limited to killing things.

Ayub
Afghanistan
24/10/2008
Iran is Right:
The US is pillaging,raping,murdering and stealing...Everyone knows that..It is time for Iran to take over as a ME mediator and help the region get back on it's feet.The Iranians are better at it because they have an understanding besides the US has lost the respect from the people.The US should pack up and take a hike out of there...Get out,enough is enough.The US has probably stolen and shipped plenty of oil in tankers over the past 5 years..

Jay
United States
26/10/2008
"Pillaging" Yeah Right
Please. We still paying 150 for a barrel of oil so if we are Pilliaging then we are doing a bad job. I'm all for leaving Iraq to deal with it's self. You can't stop stupid people from killing themselves over religion. So let them do us all a favor and kill each other.

Luke Weyland
Australia
28/10/2008
Iranian "interference"
Don't you love it when the US Admin accuses various nations, especially Iran and Syria of interfering in Iraq? What have the US military been doing since March 20, 2008 if not interfering in the most extreme and violent or ways? What is my nationalso doing in Iraq for that matter?

Hassan Al Nazar
Sri Lanka
28/10/2008
Corporate war
I have been i This is the first war in history where private contractors/firms make milions in the war zone . People need to understand that , nether the americans behind the sene that have intrest in the contractor buissnes whats iraq to be stable. They make money to provide security. Billing the US tax payers and the iraqis. The american . The bill the US goverment for the bombs the use to bomb the iraqi infrastructur. The bill the iraqi goverment to rebuild it . Its simple as that.

anon
Canada
18/11/2008
US Hatrid
As an American and British Citizen I am also deeply saddened by the unjustifiable war in Iraq. It has been an enormous tragedy for all involved. What I do find interesting is all of the "advice" from Canada and other countries who are also playing a part in this. Blame the US for invading but do not pretend that you are free from all blame for the atrocities in Iraq. Americans have finally voted for change...your turn.

bob
Iraq
20/11/2008
pillaging of Iraq
Things weren't the nicest in Iraq for the last few years but ,now after ol Saddam got hung, voilence is down alot, the country is still in diapers though, they need the US military there in the capacity of big brother, looking out for all there new friends, and then only to 2011, what is the harm in that, it will keep security to the country, and backing up the INP and the IA forces, and continued support to the new Iraqi Airforce, so let them finish in peace, the first war needs to be finished!

 
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