.Mullen Accuses Tehran of Arming Iraq Militias .
WASHINGTON—The top U.S. military officer accused Iran on Thursday of shipping new supplies of deadly weapons to its militia allies in Iraq, in what he described as Tehran's bid to take credit for forcing American troops to go home.
Adm. Michael Mullen, speaking to the Pentagon Press Association, said Iran had curtailed weapons shipments, including powerful rockets and roadside bombs, in 2008 but resumed them recently. Top-level officials in Tehran know about the weapons shipments, he said.
"Iran is very directly supporting extremist Shiite groups which are killing our troops," said Adm. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "There is no question they are shipping high-tech weapons in there…that are killing our people. And the forensics prove that."
The Wall Street Journal first reported in its weekend editions that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was shipping arms to allies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iranian officials interviewed for that article denied the charge.
On Thursday, two more U.S. troops were killed by a roadside bomb outside a Baghdad military base. Officials believe an explosively formed projectile, many of which are manufactured in Iran, was responsible. The weapons are designed to penetrate layers of armor.
The alleged arms transfers come at a time when the U.S. and Iraq are flirting with the idea of keeping as many as 10,000 American troops in Iraq after the Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline. U.S. officials favor a continued presence, but promise they will withdraw fully unless invited to stay by Baghdad.
The current Iraqi government remains bitterly divided over whether the Americans should leave a residual force.
Discussions over a longer-term U.S. presence have focused on the numbers of troops that could remain and the military capabilities the Americans could help the Iraqis develop if they did so, Adm. Mullen said.
"There are clear capability gaps the Iraqis security forces are going to face," he said.
Iraqis need help with their air force, air defenses and integrating and using intelligence, Adm. Mullen said.
Adm. Mullen said a decision on whether the U.S. stays in Iraq is up to Baghdad's government and President Barack Obama, but he said the U.S. presence in Arab countries has been a "stabilizing" force in an important, volatile region.
Some defense analysts and officials have said Iran is supporting political parties and militant groups in hopes of controlling the government in Baghdad, and ensuring that Iraq remains friendly to Tehran. The two countries fought a devastating war in the 1980s.
Adm. Mullen said he believed Tehran was trying to play an outsized role in Iraqi politics. "There is no question they want influence, particularly in the south," a Shiite-dominated area, he said.
WSJ
Adm. Michael Mullen, speaking to the Pentagon Press Association, said Iran had curtailed weapons shipments, including powerful rockets and roadside bombs, in 2008 but resumed them recently. Top-level officials in Tehran know about the weapons shipments, he said.
"Iran is very directly supporting extremist Shiite groups which are killing our troops," said Adm. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "There is no question they are shipping high-tech weapons in there…that are killing our people. And the forensics prove that."
The Wall Street Journal first reported in its weekend editions that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was shipping arms to allies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iranian officials interviewed for that article denied the charge.
On Thursday, two more U.S. troops were killed by a roadside bomb outside a Baghdad military base. Officials believe an explosively formed projectile, many of which are manufactured in Iran, was responsible. The weapons are designed to penetrate layers of armor.
The alleged arms transfers come at a time when the U.S. and Iraq are flirting with the idea of keeping as many as 10,000 American troops in Iraq after the Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline. U.S. officials favor a continued presence, but promise they will withdraw fully unless invited to stay by Baghdad.
The current Iraqi government remains bitterly divided over whether the Americans should leave a residual force.
Discussions over a longer-term U.S. presence have focused on the numbers of troops that could remain and the military capabilities the Americans could help the Iraqis develop if they did so, Adm. Mullen said.
"There are clear capability gaps the Iraqis security forces are going to face," he said.
Iraqis need help with their air force, air defenses and integrating and using intelligence, Adm. Mullen said.
Adm. Mullen said a decision on whether the U.S. stays in Iraq is up to Baghdad's government and President Barack Obama, but he said the U.S. presence in Arab countries has been a "stabilizing" force in an important, volatile region.
Some defense analysts and officials have said Iran is supporting political parties and militant groups in hopes of controlling the government in Baghdad, and ensuring that Iraq remains friendly to Tehran. The two countries fought a devastating war in the 1980s.
Adm. Mullen said he believed Tehran was trying to play an outsized role in Iraqi politics. "There is no question they want influence, particularly in the south," a Shiite-dominated area, he said.
WSJ
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