"US Encourages Terrorism"

Lebanon Cleric: US Encourages Terrorism

By HUSSEIN DAKROUB,
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
SFGate

(11-07) 11:51 PST BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- A senior Shiite Muslim cleric says that American forces in Iraq could end up virtual "hostages in Iran's hands" if the United States attacked Iran.

Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, former spiritual guide to the Iran-backed Hezbollah and still influential with many militants, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that President Bush's war on terror has encouraged extremists, not curbed them, and has deepened Arab animosity toward America.

"The American people must realize that their administration is not fighting terrorism but rather is causing it," Fadlallah said, speaking at a mosque in the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut where his home and office were leveled by Israeli warplanes during last year's summer war with Israel.

The top religious authority for Lebanon's 1.2 million Shiites, Fadlallah told the AP he thought a U.S. attack on Iran was unlikely but would ignite the region if it took place.

"The war could probably set the region ablaze at various levels," he said.

"In the event of a war on Iran, U.S. soldiers in Iraq might become hostages in Iran's hands."

The U.S. has about 170,000 troops in Iraq and is already engaged in fighting Iran-backed Shiite militias. Fadlallah did not elaborate and declined to say what he thought Hezbollah would do in the event Iran was attacked.

"I believe that the conditions in the region, the failure facing President Bush's policies in the region, and fears by (Arab) Gulf states that a war on Iran will probably destroy sensitive areas — especially oil wealth sources — makes an attack on Iran highly unlikely," the black-turbaned, white-bearded cleric said.

..."Given the high costs of the war in Iraq, a new war on Iran might lead to the collapse of the U.S. economy," Fadlallah warned.

He said the Bush administration has not succeeded in fighting extremists "but it is working to create the best climate for them."

He said the animosity created in the region by attempts to "seize more wealth," apparently a reference to oil, was the problem for the United States and not trying to track down extremists...

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On the Net: Fadlallah's site

www.bayynat.org.lb/