A senior U.S. military officer says Iranian-backed militias present the most dangerous security threat for Iraq, outpacing al-Qaida-linked terrorists there.
Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, the senior U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, says the Shiite militias are working to keep the Baghdad government weak and isolated. He says decisions on the number and types of attacks by the militias are made inside Iran, including through ties with the powerful Quds force.
The escalating threat comes amid a dramatic spike in violence across Iraq that military officials say appears to be linked to al-Qaida in Iraq.
The U.S. is preparing to pull American troops out by the end of the year. Iraqi officials are discussing whether they want to have some American forces stay in the country past that deadline.
Source: The Associated Press
