Bush defends targetting Iranians in Iraq

A Delta Force operation in Iraq. Last week it was reported that a joint CIA-Navy Seal-Delta Force team had been formed to attack Iranians in Iraq.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 — President Bush and his senior aides on Friday justified American actions against Iranian operatives inside Iraq as necessary to protect American troops and Iraqis, and said they would continue as long as Tehran kept up what they called its support for Shiites involved in sectarian attacks.

“If somebody is trying to harm our troops and stop them from achieving our goal, or killing innocent citizens in Iraq, we will stop them,” President Bush told reporters at the White House.

President Bush decided several months ago to allow American troops to make targets of select Iranian operatives inside Iraq whom military officials have accused of helping militants build sophisticated and powerful roadside bombs.

Read the rest at the NY Times

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