Robert Gates, Peter Pace deny Iran invasion plans

Описание: (16 Feb 2007)
1. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace entering briefing, zoom to Gates sitting at desk
2. Cutaway of Pace
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Robert Gates, US Defence Secretary:
"You know, for the umpteenth time, we are not looking for an excuse to go to war with Iran. We are not planning a war with Iran. What we are trying to do is inside Iraq, disrupt the networks that put these weapons in the hands of those who kill our troops. That's it."
4. Gates and Pace at desk, zoom to Gates
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs' of Staff:
"We do not have proof that the senior leadership in Iran is directing these activities in Iraq. But as the secretary just pointed out, either way.. either they are, and that's not good, or they don't know, and that's not good. And I was trying to be very precise about what facts are and what conclusions are."
6. Gates
STORYLINE:
At a Pentagon news roundtable in Washington, DC on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates tried to dampen speculation that the US was considering military action against Iran.
Pentagon officials have continued to insist Iran is providing Shiite militants in Iraq with armour-piercing roadside bombs.
"We are not looking for an excuse to go to war with Iran. We are not planning a war with Iran. What we are trying to do is inside Iraq, disrupt the networks that put these weapons in the hands of those who kill our troops. That's it," said Gates.
Joint Chiefs' chairman, General Peter Pace, said the military wasn't certain top Iranian government officials were behind it, and he cautioned against jumping to that conclusion.
The deadly and highly sophisticated weapons, which are known as "explosively formed penetrators," or EFPs, have killed more than 170 troops from the American-led coalition.
Senior US military officials in Baghdad say the "machining process" used in the construction of the deadly bombs had been traced to Iran.

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