Afghan minister dismisses U.S. claims (re: Iran arming the Taliban)

Source: AP

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Afghanistan's defense minister on Thursday dismissed claims by a top U.S. State Department official that there was "irrefutable evidence" that the Iranian government was providing arms to Taliban rebels.

"Actually, throughout, we have had good relations with Iran and we believe that the security and stability of Afghanistan are also in the interests of Iran," Abdul Rahim Wardak told The Associated Press.

On Wednesday, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Paris that Tehran was directly supplying weapons to the Taliban. He told CNN there was "irrefutable evidence" that arms shipments were coming from Iran's government.

The State Department later appeared to step back from Burns' assertion, but stressed that the United States has proof that weapons from Iran were reaching Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070614/ap_on_re_eu/iran_taliban

K&R to help spread the word of more lies for war.

I'm afraid it is going to be up to us to stop this insanity (nuking Iran)

If the Afghan government wants us to continue fighting for them, they better damned well toe the fucking party line. If that means supporting made-up stories about Iranian involvement, then he better well be nodding his head up and down when reporters ask him if it's true. :sarcasm:

"The State Department later appeared to step back from Burns' assertion,"


Yeah, but that won't get the press the assertions did.

Karzai: Iran a 'very close friend'
Afghan leader hears U.S. claim on arms

By Peter Spiegel
Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
Published June 5, 2007

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai gave Iran his full embrace Monday, saying it has been his country's "very close friend," even as U.S. officials meeting with him here repeated their accusation that Iranian-made weapons were flowing to Taliban fighters.

Karzai made the remarks at a joint news conference after a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was in Afghanistan for nearly 24 hours to meet with U.S. commanders and Afghan officials. Gates said he raised the issue of the munitions in his meeting with Karzai but acknowledged there was no evidence Iran's government was behind the shipments.

When asked whether he believed Tehran, mostly a benign presence in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, had decided to change course and support its former foes, Karzai gave an impassioned backing for Iran's government. He called it a force for good in Afghanistan.

"Iran and Afghanistan have never been as friendly as they are today," Karzai said. "In the past five years, Iran has been contributing to Afghanistan's reconstruction, and in the past five years, Afghanistan has been Iran's very close friend." ~snip~

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-afghan_tuesjun05,1,674195.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

:kick:

Source: Daily Times

BRUSSELS: Afghanistan’s defence minister on Thursday rejected claims by a top US State Department official that there was “irrefutable evidence” that the Iranian government was providing arms to Taliban rebels.

“Actually, throughout, we have had good relations with Iran and we believe that the security and stability of Afghanistan are also in the interests of Iran,” Abdul Rahim Wardak told The Associated Press. On Wednesday, US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Paris that Tehran was directly supplying weapons to the Taliban. He told CNN television there was “irrefutable evidence” that arms shipments were coming from Iran’s government.

The State Department later appeared to step back from Burns’ assertion, but stressed that the United States has proof that weapons from Iran were reaching Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. Tehran has denied the accusations. Wardak, who is attending a NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels, also played down suggestions that Iranian authorities were sending arms shipments to the Taliban.

“There has been evidence of weapons, but it is difficult to link it to Iran,” Wardak said. “It is possible that (they) might be from Al Qaeda, from the drug mafia or from other sources.” The majority of weapons captured from the insurgents have been of Soviet origin, but arms from East Germany, China and Egypt have also been seized, he said. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who is attending the Brussels meeting, also mentioned the alleged weapons transfers from Iran.


Read more: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C06%5C15%5Cstory_15-6-2007_pg4_14

The bush administration might have lied about attempts at justifying war?!?!?!

I'm shocked!1!1! Shocked I telz ya'!!

Shoeless Jorge!!!! Say it ain't so!!!

friend or foe country alike.