By Bill Brubaker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 14, 2006; 4:30 PM
Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff,
Said today he has no evidence the Iranian government has been sending
military equipment and personnel into neighbouring Iraq.
On Monday, President Bush suggested Iran was involved in making roadside bombs,
known as improvised explosive devices that are being used in Iraq.
And Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld last week accused
Iran of sending members of its Revolutionary Guard to conduct operations in Iraq.
Today, Pace, the top U.S. military official, was asked at a Pentagon
news conference if he has proof that Iran's government is sponsoring these activities.
"I do not, sir," Pace said.
The Bush administration's statements about alleged Iranian involvement in Iraq
come amid increasing tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program.
Rumsfeld, standing beside Pace, said today it is difficult to ascertain whether the Iranian
government is directly involved in sending military equipment and personnel to Iraq.
"As to equipment, unless you physically see it coming in a government-sponsored vehicle,
or with government-sponsored troops, you can't know it" comes from Iran's government,
Rumsfeld said. "All you know is that you find equipment -- weapons, explosives, whatever -- in
a country that came from the neighbouring country.
"With respect to people, it's very difficult to tie a thread precisely to the government of Iran.
As we all know, there are pilgrimages where Shi'a come from Iran and around the world to go to holy places in Iraq,
And they come by the thousands, sometimes tens of thousands. And so, that is also a difficult" to prove.
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