News and Document archive source
copyrighted material disclaimer at bottom of page

NewsMinewar-on-terroriraq2003-invasion — Viewing Item


Marines line up iran border

Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/26/wiran26.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/03/26/ixnewstop.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/26/wiran26.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/03/26/ixnewstop.html

Marines line up on Iranian border
By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor
(Filed: 26/03/2003)


Royal Marines were deployed to Iraq's border with Iran yesterday in a move that will unnerve Teheran's regime, which fears encirclement by American-led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence said the Royal Marines were merely "securing their area of operations" after seizing at the Faw peninsula.

But with Iranian troops manning positions on the other side of the Shatt al-Arab waterway, British forces face a highly sensitive task.

Tensions were illustrated by a succession of border incidents. A rocket struck an Iranian oil refinery depot in Abadan, just across from Basra, on Friday injuring two people while there were reports on Monday that Iranian forces had fired on British troops on the Faw peninsula.

Iran, part of America's "axis of evil", is formally neutral but fears it could be the next target for attack.

It is torn between publicly denouncing the "imperialist" war on a fellow Muslim country and co-operating tacitly with America and Britain in removing the old enemy, Saddam Hussein.

America has waged war against two of Iran's most hated foes, the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the Ba'athists in Baghdad. But the "Great Satan", as America is known, now has forces on two of Iran's borders.

Neighbouring Arab countries have long feared a war in Iraq could suck in forces from Turkey and Iran.

Western diplomats said Turkish intervention to forestall any Kurdish attempt to seize greater autonomy could encourage Iran to cross the border to support fellow Shi'ites and clear out bases of the main Iranian opposition group, the Mujahideen-e-Khalq.

The leading Iraqi Shi'ite opposition group, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution, has thousands of fighters in Iran. Some have slipped into Iraqi Kurdistan and many more may cross the border to claim a stake in the future Iraqi government.




baghdad-bombing
beginning-war
celebration
colateral-damage
friendly-fire
grenade-soldier
iraq-downfall
jessica-lynch
media
missile-mishaps
northern
other-cities
south-advance
us-casualties
US-POWs
warplan
75 billion not even close { April 4 2003 }
Alqaeda fighting with iraqis { March 28 2003 }
American flag raised { March 21 2003 }
American idol might leave { March 26 2003 }
Australians support war now { March 25 2003 }
Back code yellow
Bosnia iraq arms scandal { April 3 2003 }
British officer punched kicked prisoners
Bush budget doesnt add up { March 25 2003 }
Bush has solid support
Bush mental breakdown
Buying tribes from saddam
Buying tribes { April 3 2003 }
Cheneys daughters not human shields { March 26 2003 }
Demands russia cease iraq aid
Dirty war cuts both ways { March 2003 }
Dolphins clear landmines
Dolphins enlisted locate mines { March 26 2003 }
Fbi questions us iraqis
German intelligence gave US iraqi defense plan { February 27 2006 }
Intentially destroy water supplies
Iraq accuses israel
Iraqi city water shortage { March 24 2003 }
Iraqi deserter desperate days
Iraqi plots to kill americans { March 29 2003 }
Israel obligated to defend { March 16 2003 }
Jail of evil
Marines avenge blood executed gis { March 25 2003 }
Marines dropped devices similar to napalm
Marines line up iran border
Missile hits kuwait
Monster saddam now hero
Navy dolpins awol { March 29 2003 }
Officials confirm dropping firebombs { August 5 2003 }
Officials defiant { March 23 2003 }
Phoenix power plant threat { March 20 2003 }
Pows guantamo bay { April 1 2003 }
Reports moab used
Rumsfeld tough days ahead { March 23 2003 }
Russia provided iraq intelligence
Saddam vows to fight { March 18 2003 }
Saddam warns of world war
Saudis help with cheap oil and air bases { April 25 2004 }
Seize airports
Senate slashes bush tax cut { March 26 2003 }
Soldiers pray pamphlets
Us admits used napalm bombs
Us capture chemical plant
Us leaves british with oilfields { March 21 2003 }
Using du illegal
Weather forecast secrets { March 25 2003 }
Whats next korea iran { April 3 2003 }

Files Listed: 52



Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security
Archives
Support one-state solution for Israel and Palestine Tea Party bumper stickers JFK for Dummies, The Assassination made simple