U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked senior defense officials from a number of Gulf states to support Iraq in the face of Iranian attempts to undermine the government in Baghdad.
Gates said that supporting Iraq will "help contain Iran’s ambitions," and accused Iran of supporting groups that carry out attacks against government targets as an attempt to influence the direction of its neighboring country.
He told them that the U.S. is prepared to help the Gulf countries face possible threats from Iran, but emphasized [as a linkage] the importance of establishing relationships with Iraq.
He reminded them of Iraq’s economic and political capacities and urged them to consider inviting Iraq to become a member of regional organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Source: Al-Zaman, Iraq, June 25, 2009
