Washington – The Bush administration cast a wary eye Monday on signs that Iran and Syria were taking a more active diplomatic role in Iraq, as debate centered on how many troops to keep in the war.
Just days after reports that U.S. officials were discussing a broader role for Iran and Syria, Iraqi lawmakers said Iranian leaders had invited the Iraqi and Syrian presidents for a weekend summit. Iraq also announced that it will resume diplomatic relations with Syria, even as the visiting Syrian foreign minister was challenged publicly over Damascus’ role in supporting Iraq’s Sunni insurgency.
The moves came as Iraq’s unrelenting sectarian violence claimed another 100 lives.
A U.S. State Department official said that while strong relations among Iraq, Iran and Syria were encouraged, actions would speak louder than words.
Spokesman Tom Casey said that while Iran has talked about playing “a positive role in Iraq, those statements haven’t been backed up by actions.”
He offered a similar assessment of Syria, saying the problem “is not what they say; the problem is what they do. … What we would like to see the Syrians do is take actions to, among other things, prevent foreign fighters from coming across the border into Iraq.”
At the same time, there have been indications that a U.S. advisory commission is considering recommendations that could include a broader role for Syria and Iran. The Iraq Study Group is expected to issue its report soon.
Meanwhile, House Armed Services Committee chairman Duncan Hunter said Monday the U.S. needs to push more Iraqi security forces to the front lines.
Other Americans, including some military officials, have suggested boosting U.S. troop levels to help train the Iraqis.
In Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem and later told reporters: “We object to any neighboring country that allows itself to be a base or a transit point for the terrorist groups that harm Iraq.”
Iraq update
Developments
Iraq said Monday it would establish diplomatic ties with Syria as Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem visited Baghdad.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad invited the presidents of Iraq and Syria to a weekend summit in Tehran. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani was expected to attend, but Syria’s Bashar Assad was not.
Casualties
The U.S. military announced that a soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Saturday night and a Marine died during combat in Anbar province Sunday, raising to at least 2,865 the number of U.S. service members killed since the start of the war.
Authorities reported that 25 Iraqis were killed Monday in a series of attacks in Baghdad, Ramadi and Baqubah. Also, the bodies of 75 Iraqis who had been tortured were found on the streets of the capital, in Dujayl north of Baghdad and in the Tigris River. The Iraqi death toll rose to 1,371 for the first 20 days of November.
