THE ON-DECK CIRCLE:

New Iraq government accuses Iran and Syria of backing insurgents (Damien McElroy, 04/07/2004, Daily Telegraph)

The new Iraqi government will publish damning evidence this week linking foreign powers, including Iran and Syria, to the Muslim extremists and loyalists of the former regime who launched a bloody rebellion after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Hoshyar Zebari, the foreign minister, told The Telegraph that the interim government had gathered intelligence detailing the support provided to insurgent groups by some neighbouring nations.

Although he did not name the countries, senior Iraqi officials indicated that Iran and Syria were the worst offenders. The accusation that governments in Teheran and Damascus have been aiding the insurgents could create an immediate diplomatic crisis for the Baghdad administration that assumed power only last week.

Insurgents had benefited from financial support, logistical assistance and training from neighbouring government agencies, said Mr Zebari. Baghdad also believed that up to 10,000 foreign spies and undercover agents had infiltrated the country since last year's war.

He even indicated that Iraq might not oppose attacks by American troops based in Iraq on neighbouring states if they were backing the insurgents.

Heck, we have to go by Syria on the way home anyway, may as well go through instead.

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 4, 2004 6:50 PM