Bush, Putin United Against Iran?

We'll have to see how this plays out. Somehow I doubt Putin is being genuine.

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin projected a united front Monday against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program.

"When Russia and the United States speak along the same lines, it tends to have an effect and therefore I appreciate the Russians' attitude in the United Nations," Bush said. "We're close on recognizing that we got to work together to send a common message."

Putin predicted that "we will continue to be successful" as they work through the U.N. Security Council.

Security Council members have begun discussing a U.S. proposal for sanctions against Iran because of its refusal to stop enriching uranium. The U.S., Russia and their fellow permanent U.N. Security Council members, however, have told Iran they will hold off on new sanctions if it stops expanding its enrichment activities while they seek to restart talks about the program with Tehran. Diplomats say the Iranian government has not yet responded to the proposal.

Putin suggested there would be "further substantial intercourse on this issue."

It was unclear whether the leaders had agreed on methods or merely wanted to gloss over for public consumption any differences on strategy.

Why am I suspicious whenever the UN is involved?

Meanwhile, it's high time Iran is held accountable for their actions in Iraq.

Iranian forces helped plan one of the most sophisticated militant assaults of the Iraq war -- a January raid in which gunmen posed as an American security team and launched an attack that killed five U.S. soldiers, an American general said today.

U.S. military spokesman Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner also accused Iran of using its Lebanese ally, the Shiite militia Hezbollah, as a "proxy" to arm Shiite militants in Iraq.

The claims were an escalation in U.S. accusations that Iran is fueling Iraq's violence, which the government in Tehran has denied. It was also the first time the U.S. military has said Hezbollah has a direct role -- which, if true, would bring a dangerous new player into Iraq's conflict.

Hezbollah has denied any activities in Iraq, saying it operates only in Lebanon.