Selig S. Harrison, senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center and director of the Asia Program of the Center for International Policy, says that Iran wants a stable, friendly Iraq that is not a threat to them, and that he believes there will be “no graceful orderly withdraw from Iraq” or any stable reconstruction without the cooperation of Iran. (0:41)

 

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Selig S. Harrison, senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center and director of the Asia Program of the Center for International Policy, says that if the U.S. wants to “get out in an orderly fashion from Iraq” there needs to be cooperation with Iran. He said it is important to get into negotiations with Iran and also to “stop the slaughter in Sadr City, which places Iranians in an awkward position.” (0:58)

 

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The Woodrow Wilson Center held a discussion on “Iran, Iraq and the United States: The View from Tehran” with Selig S. Harrison, senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center and director of the Asia Program of the Center for International Policy. Harrison visited Tehran in February, his second visit in the past nine months, where he has met with advisors, specialists, scholars and diplomats. He said his two trips to Iran had a limited objective: “to explore the terms for a modus vivendi [an agreement to disagree] in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf.”

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Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) expressed opposition today to supplemental funding for the Iraq war. Waters was supported by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) as well as the Progressive Democrats of America, who all stressed opposition to the supplemental funding and said they would not support it.

Waters and others stressed the fact that Congress needs to send a strong message to the President and the American people that they are serious about getting our troops out of Iraq and will not approve any legislation which gives one more dime to the Iraq war unless it is for the redeployment of American troops.

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By Ellen Ratner

As I sit here writing this column from the oil rich Middle East, I am reflecting on the political oil wars that we are hearing so much about from President Bush, Congress and the presidential candidates. Yet, no matter our favorite party, branch of government or candidate, the whole story is not being told.

During the last week in April, there were press briefings galore in Congress with words and accusations flying everywhere. The price of oil is killing our economy, small airlines are folding and larger ones are laying off employees or trying to merge. Trucks and their drivers are parading around the Capitol on a daily basis, honking horns and making it clear that it is difficult to survive with the gas prices so high.

The Democrats want the president to stop adding to the strategic oil reserve, which is 97 percent full. So far the president has not budged. The Democrats figure that it could save Americans 5 to 24 cents per gallon. Their plan put forward in four congressional bills includes holding OPEC accountable for price fixing (HR 2264), cracking down on gas price gouging (HR 1252), repealing subsidies to oil companies, investing in renewables (HR 5351) and developing new mileage standards (HR 6).

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Briefer: Scott Stanzel

President’s Schedule

This morning the President and Mrs. Bush did an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America. Later today, the President will participate in a photo opportunity with Uno the Beagle, winner of the Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club.
Tonight, The President and Mrs. Bush will host a social dinner tonight in honor of Cinco the Mayo.

Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel will brief the press at 12.30 pm today.

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Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell gave a quick availability after a ceremony with the Secretary of Defense laying a wreath on a memorial for Mexican WWII veterans. Despite the desire from Pentagon public affairs that emphasis be placed on the trip to Mexico, the subject stayed squarely on the Middle East.

Morell said that everyone from the Secretary of Defense to the Chairman if the Joint Chiefs of Staff has acknowledged what a problem Iranian involvement in Iraq is and is determined to deal with it inside Iraq.

Morrell said that he is not aware of ramping up or revision of war plans for Iran. The focus of U.S. efforts is that Iranian arms and training of terrorists by Iran be dealt with within the confines of Iraq, Morrell said. He warned against the perception of an uptick in Iranian actions in Iraq, though he said, “We are seeing evidence that it continues.”

He also said that since the Basra incursion the Iraqi military has made great strides since the fighting a few weeks ago. One example of progress was the development of a concerned local citizens group called “sons of Basra,” paid by the Iraqi government to protect their neighborhoods.

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During a press availability during his trip to Mexico City, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says that the Iraqi government is unifying behind Prime Minister Maliki for his decision to go after illegal Shiite militias in Iraq. (1:32)

 

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During a press availability during his trip to Mexico City, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says that an increased Navy presence in the Gulf does not represent escalation against Iran, but might serve as a reminder. (0:31)

 

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Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen says that Iran has increased sponsoring terrorism, killing coalition forces, and interfering in Iraq. He says that tensions continue to rise and that Iran is “ratcheting up” it’s involvement of terrorism. Mullen says that military options should not be off the table. (1:14)

 

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