Word: iraq
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...weeks ago, a senior European diplomat arrived in Washington with a message from the Iranian government. The Iranians saw a parallel between the case of captive American journalist Roxana Saberi and that of three Iranian diplomats held by the U.S. military in Iraq. The Iranians were not demanding an exchange of prisoners, the European envoy told TIME, but were setting up a more subtle test of the Obama Administration's intentions. Now that Saberi has been released, Tehran will be watching the U.S. reaction for signs of a reciprocal goodwill gesture...
...Saberi's release is seen by the Administration as a victory for Iranian pragmatists over hard-liners - and the U.S. may find a benefit in reciprocating. Releasing the detained Iranians could build trust for talks between Washington and Tehran on security issues in Afghanistan and Iraq and also on the thorny issue of Iran's nuclear program. And it could strengthen the hand of the Iranian pragmatists who sent the signal through the European diplomatic channel...
...downside, however, the Arbil three are, in the Pentagon's eyes, hardened Iranian agents dedicated to undermining stability in Iraq. Washington believes the Revolutionary Guard remains an active sponsor of militant and terrorist groups throughout the region. And the U.S. is wary of establishing a precedent of seeking the release of detained civilians by freeing government operatives held for involvement in espionage or other covert activities...
...Still, a different pretext could be found for releasing the detained Iranians. The U.S. is trying to hand over to Iraqi authorities all 15,000 or so detainees currently held by the U.S. in Iraq, and that would include the three Iranians (whose detention was publicly condemned by Iraqi authorities). "We're in the process of working with the Iraqis on how to transfer the Iranians and all detainees to Iraqi custody," said Geoff Morrell, spokesman for the Defense Department. If that happens, it's a safe bet they'll be freed...
...install the former Green Beret as the top U.S. and NATO commander for the troubled nation. Some analysts hailed the surprising overhaul as proof that the U.S. is rethinking its conventional approach to combat, especially given McChrystal's background as commander of the military's clandestine special operations in Iraq...