Despite Secretary of State John Kerry predicting today that Sunni militants in Iraq do not have the ability to overrun Baghdad, the Obama administration is willing to talk with Iran over deteriorating security conditions in Iraq and is not ruling out potential U.S.-Iranian military cooperation in stemming the advance of Sunni extremists. Speaking with Yahoo’s Katie Kouric, Kerry confidently explained, “I don’t believe that they will in the near term certainly, and I don’t believe they necessarily can at all,” overrun Baghdad or other major cities. Having “absolutely, unquestionably” denied that the turmoil in Iraq could have been prevented if US left a residual force, he somewhat shockingly submitted that the US is “open to any constructive process here [with Iran] that can minimize the violence, hold Iraq together, the integrity of the country and eliminate the presence of outside terrorist forces.”
Baghdad not in trouble (well that’s jinxed it)…
Secretary of State John Kerry predicted Monday that Sunni militants in Iraq do not have the ability to overrun Baghdad.
During an interview with Yahoo News, Kerry said he is “absolutely convinced” the U.S. Embassy there has the security to keeps U.S. personnel safe as a militants with the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria have taken over a number of large cities in the country.
“I don’t believe that they will in the near term certainly, and I don’t believe they necessarily can at all,” he said of the group’s ability to take over the capital. “But that remains to be determined by the decision that are made over the course of the next few days.”
And while Baghdad is safe, the US is willing to work with its old enemy Iran…
The Obama administration is willing to talk with Iran over deteriorating security conditions in Iraq and is not ruling out potential U.S.-Iranian military cooperation in stemming the advance of Sunni extremists, Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday.
Kerry said the administration was open to any constructive process that would reduce violence.
“Let’s see what Iran might or might not be willing to do before we start making any pronouncements,” Kerry told Yahoo News. “I think we are open to any constructive process here that can minimize the violence, hold Iraq together, the integrity of the country and eliminate the presence of outside terrorist forces.”
“We’re open to discussions if there is something constructive that can be contributed by Iran, if Iran is prepared to do something that is going to respect the integrity and sovereignty of Iraq and ability of the government to reform,” Kerry said.
Separately, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns may raise the issue with Iran when talks over that country’s nuclear program resume in Geneva on Wednesday.
We are sure that will all end well. Yes, you can keep your Nuclear Weapons (just promise not to thretane Israel more than 3 times per year) as long as you ‘fix’ Iraq…
Of course, it wouldn’t be US politics without some WWII analogies…
On Sunday, Graham said that a U.S. alliance with Iran might be needed to keep Iraq from collapsing.
He said a U.S. partnership with Iran would make him uncomfortable but likened it to the United States working with Soviet leader Josef Stalin in World War II against Adolf Hitler.
Small world eh, but we’d hate to paint it.
As we noted before in our “Lines In The Sand” post, it’s tough to know who your friends are (if any)…
via Zero Hedge http://ift.tt/U4mj90 Tyler Durden