Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday that he has no information indicating Iran's government is directing the supply of lethal weapons to Shiite insurgent groups in Iraq.
"We know that the explosively formed projectiles are manufactured in Iran," Pace told Voice of America during a visit to Australia. "What I would not say is that the Iranian government, per se, knows about this."
"It is clear that Iranians are involved, and it's clear that materials from Iran are involved," he continued, "but I would not say by what I know that the Iranian government clearly knows or is complicit."
Pace's comments came a day after U.S. military officials in Baghdad alleged that the "highest levels" of the Iranian government have directed use of weapons that are killing U.S. troops in Iraq. No information was provided to substantiate the charge. Administration officials yesterday deflected requests for more details, even as they repeatedly implied Tehran's involvement.
The above is from Karen DeYoung's "Pace Demurs on Accusation of Iran" (Washington Post) and Martha and Lloyd both note it in their e-mails this morning. Read it again and wonder how Pace, in his current position and before that in charge of commanding Iraq, could not know about it, were the allegations true?
In fact, to be sure this is absorbed in the face of the full frontal spin push, let's just make this the first entry and let's leave it up for a bit. I'll work on the second entry and post it but let's leave this up here for at least an hour by itself.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
karen deyoung
the washington post
