Iran, Iraq & The United States

--Continuing their desire to force their radical Islamic beliefs and take on an expanded role in the Islamic world, Iran is offering aid and training to Hamas and other terrorist groups.

Al Jazeera reports -

The leader of Hamas says he has been urged by Iran to continue their stand against Israel, as he announced that Iran will fund his party as western blockades against his government continue.

PHOTO: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president (L) pledges funds to Meshaal, the leader of Hamas [AFP]

"We still look forward to get support [from Iran] to break the political and economic sanctions," Khaled Meshaal said on Tuesday during a visit to Iran.

Meshaal, who arrived in Iran early on Tuesday, told a press conference with Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian foreign minister, that Iran had been giving financial and political support to the Palestinians since Hamas took office in March last year.

Mottaki told reporters that Iran would continue to provide money to Hamas, but he did not give any figures.

Iran is known to have given $120 million to Hamas since it took office following its victory in the Palestinian legislative elections.

Persian Journal reports -

A spokesman for Hamas' armed wing known as Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades on Sunday denied Israeli reports that the movement has sent militants to Iran for training.

"Israel is used to releasing accusations," spokesman Abu Obaida told reporters in Gaza. The Israeli daily Maariv reported that both Hamas and the Israeli army were getting ready for a military confrontation in Gaza Strip.

The report added that hundreds of Hamas guerrilla have received training in Iran and that other fighters were likely to travel to Iran for the same purpose.

"We have the right to get training in any place but without revealing it to the media because this is a secret of the Jihad,"Abu Obaida said.

-- The top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, has recently stated in interviews with NBC that the flow of terrorists who receive weapons and training from Iran & Syria continue to pour in over the borders.

Iran Focus reports-

The top U.S. commander in Iraq said in an interview released Monday that it's "indisputable" Iran is training and arming militants to fight against U.S.-led troops in Iraq.

Gen. David Petraeus also told ABC News that suicide bombers are streaming across Iraq's border from Syria and making their way into the country's volatile western Anbar province.

His comments follow a harsh exchange of words over the weekend between the U.S. and Iran at a conference in Baghdad on Iraq's security. The U.S. envoy to the talks, David Satterfield, said he had evidence that Iran was arming Shiite Muslim militias in Iraq, which his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, vehemently denied. He called such accusations a "cover" for U.S. failures in Iraq. More.....

--On the home front, as usual, the democrats are stumbling over their own feet and have no clue what to do.

Whereas they once wanted President Bush to get congress approval before any military action be taken against Iran, they finally (sort of) awoke from a coma like trance and have changed their empty minds. Of course, they are still clueless about Iraq.

The Columbus Dispatch reported -

Democrats retreated yesterday from an attempt to limit President Bush’s authority for taking military action against Iran. The Democratic leadership instead concentrated on a looming confrontation with the White House over the Iraq war.

Officials said Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of the leadership had decided to strip from a major military spending bill a requirement for Bush to gain approval from Congress before moving against Iran.