Netanyahu urges Washington to 'weaken' Iraq, Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday the United States should try to weaken both Iran and the Sunni Muslim insurgents driving toward Baghdad, urging the Obama administration not to work with Teheran to help stabilize Iraq.

"What you're seeing in the Middle East today in Iraq and in Syria is the stark hatreds between radical Shiites, in this case led by Iran, and radical Sunnis led by al-Qaida and ISIS and others," Netanyahu told the NBC program Meet the Press, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant jihadi group.

"Now, both of these camps are enemies of the United States. And when your enemies are fighting each other, don't strengthen either one of them. Weaken both," he added.

The US and Iran briefly discussed the crisis in Iraq on the sidelines of a critical fifth round of nuclear talks in Vienna last week, and there has been speculation that the two nations might cooperate in defeating the major insurgency by Sunni militants who have overrun swathes of Iraq in recent weeks.

Netanyahu, known for a strained relationship with US President Barack Obama, has described as a "historic mistake" the interim agreement that the US and other world powers reached with Iran in November on curbing some aspects of its nuclear program in return for a limited easing of sanctions imposed on Teheran.

Referring to the crisis in Iran's neighbor, Iraq, Netanyahu said, "I think by far the worst outcome that could come out of this is that one of these factions, Iran, would come out with nuclear-weapons capability. That would be a tragic mistake. ... It would make everything else pale in comparison."

The US, Iran and other nations are hoping to wrap up a deal on Iran's nuclear program within the next month. Progress on nuclear talks is leading US officials to explore whether Iran can be a useful partner on interests long viewed as shared, such as fighting Sunni extremism and ensuring the stability of Iraq - but Netanyahu opposes any cooperation with Iran.

US Secretary of State John Kerry met Iraq prime minister in Baghdad on Monday to push for a more inclusive government, even as Iraqi forces abandoned the border with Jordan, leaving the entire Western frontier outside government control.

Sunni tribes took the Turaibil border crossing, the only legal crossing point between Iraq and Jordan, after Iraqi security forces fled. The tribes were negotiating handing the post over to insurgents from ISIL who took control of two main crossings with Syria last week.

Reuters - AFP

(China Daily 06/24/2014 page11)