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It seems that one has to check global news sources in order to receive complete coverage these days. A Jan. 11, 2007 BBC headline, “U.S. Iraq raid draws Iranian anger,” states that U.S. forces have stormed a building in the northern Iraqi town of Irbil and seized six people said to be Iranians, prompting a diplomatic incident.
Officials said the building was an Iranian consulate and the detainees its employees, and that the troops raiding the building took away computers and papers. A local TV station said that Kurdish security forces had taken over the building after the Americans left.
The Pentagon denies that it was a government consulate. However, reports say the Iranian consulate was set up last year under an agreement with the Kurdish regional government to facilitate cross-border visits.
There have been previous incidents of this nature against Iranians in Iraq, but Thursday’s raid came as President Bush unveiled his new strategy in Iraq, which included increasing troop numbers to stop Iranian support for “our enemies in Iraq.”
It seems as though there’s an effort to provoke Iran who is involved with funding the Shiites. If President Bush incites Iran to attack us, then Congress will have a difficult time denying the authority for him to attack Iran directly. I hate to sound paranoid, but it’s hard not be when our government continues to manipulate us with fear while violating all international conventions.
Sharlene White
Colorado Springs

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