Or is it an effort solely focused on ending Iranian support for Shia death squads in Iraq?
Secretary Gates says Iran promised the Iraqis to stop sending weapons to Iraqi death squads:
"It is my understanding that they have provided such assurances," Gates told a Pentagon news conference. "I don't know whether to believe them. I'll wait and see." He said he did not know who in Tehran made the promise.
And Odierno says EFP attacks, the most lethal weapon Iran has exported, have declined:
In separate remarks Thursday to reporters at the Pentagon, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq said there has been a sharp decline in the number of EFPs found in Iraq in the last three months. Last month there were 30 attacks involving EFPs and 23 more were found unexploded for a total of 53, said Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno.
That compares with 99 in July, 78 in August and 52 in September, Odierno said by videoconference from Baghdad.
Increased Shia attacks had masked the decline in attacks we faced from the Sunni terrorists and insurgents. Now the Shia thugs appear a bit defanged, explaining the drop in casualties.
Did we bluff the Iranians into reducing support for the Sadr boys out of fear we'd use the support as an excuse to bomb Iran?
And note to those who deny Iran helps the thugs in Iraq: a promise to reduce support implies a previous commitment to supporting those Shia thugs.
