Quake aid may open door for US and Iran | csmonitor.com: "decade, four American military aircraft landed in Iran Sunday in a gesture between two countries more noted for acrimony than mutual aid.
The US, joining dozens of other countries in providing emergency aid after Friday's earthquake, delivered about 120,000 pounds of medical supplies and water to the nation once branded by President Bush as part of the 'axis of evil.'
But it is often at humanity's most trying moments that old foes are brought together in a spirit of cooperation and compassion.
'The reception was very warm,' said Lt. Col. Vic Harris in a phone interview after returning to his base in Kuwait. 'We worked side by side with Iranian soldiers to download the supplies. The Iranian base commander said he hoped this would be the beginning of a new relationship.'
But analysts note that there's a small but emerging détente of late, a spin-off from the US-led war in Iraq. Iran's decision to recognize the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council indicated a certain acquiescence to Washington's plans in Iraq. This tacit agreement with US policy in Iraq stems in part from Iran's perception that Washington shows no signs of opposing Shiite predominance in Iraq, a country that has long been ruled by its Sunni minority. Iran, the only other majority Shiite country, has become more influential in postwar Iraq and sees a pro-Iranian government there as a key to regional stability.
Concurrent with Washington and Tehran's discovery of mutual interests in Iraq, Iran has also showed its willingness to comply with demands to inspect its nuclear program. That appears to be a sign that it has no interest in upping the ante with Washington nor with Israel, the country which feels most threatened by - and would be mostly likely to launch an attack on - Iran's nuclear capabilities, notes a recent report by Stratfor, a Washington-based research service."
The US, joining dozens of other countries in providing emergency aid after Friday's earthquake, delivered about 120,000 pounds of medical supplies and water to the nation once branded by President Bush as part of the 'axis of evil.'
But it is often at humanity's most trying moments that old foes are brought together in a spirit of cooperation and compassion.
'The reception was very warm,' said Lt. Col. Vic Harris in a phone interview after returning to his base in Kuwait. 'We worked side by side with Iranian soldiers to download the supplies. The Iranian base commander said he hoped this would be the beginning of a new relationship.'
But analysts note that there's a small but emerging détente of late, a spin-off from the US-led war in Iraq. Iran's decision to recognize the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council indicated a certain acquiescence to Washington's plans in Iraq. This tacit agreement with US policy in Iraq stems in part from Iran's perception that Washington shows no signs of opposing Shiite predominance in Iraq, a country that has long been ruled by its Sunni minority. Iran, the only other majority Shiite country, has become more influential in postwar Iraq and sees a pro-Iranian government there as a key to regional stability.
Concurrent with Washington and Tehran's discovery of mutual interests in Iraq, Iran has also showed its willingness to comply with demands to inspect its nuclear program. That appears to be a sign that it has no interest in upping the ante with Washington nor with Israel, the country which feels most threatened by - and would be mostly likely to launch an attack on - Iran's nuclear capabilities, notes a recent report by Stratfor, a Washington-based research service."
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