Petraeus: 'There is no doubt' Iran is source of arms shipped to Hizbullah via Syria
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
LONDON Ñ Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict would end the justification for Hizbullah's military presence in Lebanon.
"That is why President Obama is making great efforts in this direction," Petraeus said.
The U.S. general said weapons from Iran continued to flow through Syria to Hizbullah in Lebanon. He said the U.S. focus was on the shipment of Iranian long-range rockets sent to Hizbullah.
"There is no doubt that Iran is the source," Petraeus said.
In an interview with the London-based Al Hayat, Petraeus supported the intensified efforts by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"I think that many things would be improved with the resolution of this issue," Petraeus said. "There is no doubt that with a just solution acceptable to all parties and supported by them, there will be no place for various reasons cited by some countries and movements."
Petraeus linked an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord to the safety of American troops in the Middle East and other regions of Asia.
Central Command has been responsible for U.S. military operations in 20 countries, including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Israel and Turkey have been among the few Middle East states assigned to the U.S. European Command.
In the interview on June 1, Petraeus said the resolution of the Palestinian issue was "absolutely essential" for his work as Centcom chief. He said the failure to resolve the conflict was a factor in the threat to U.S. forces in the Middle East.
"In fact, I think it is one of the many factors that play a role in the matter," Petraeus said. "There is no doubt that one of these factors could address some of them."
Petraeus did not specify the threat by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on U.S. forces in the region. More than 4,300 U.S. soldiers have been killed in the war in Iraq since 2003.
But the general said a U.S. effort to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would promote cooperation with Washington throughout the Arab world.