Al Zawahiri Sees Iran as Common Enemy of Al-Qaeda and US
Contrary to McCain’s gaffe about Shiite Iran helping Sunni al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahri expressed his desire to see the destruction of Iran in new online Q&A session. See Juan Cole’s post for more on McCain’s spiritual advisers.
“We hope that war ’saps’ both Washington and Tehran,” [Zawahiri] said according to a press tv report.
“The dispute between America and Iran is a genuine struggle, and the possibility of the US striking Iran is real,” al-Zawahiri said.
“Whichever country that emerges victorious will find itself in an intensified and fierce battle [with al-Qaeda],” he continued.
Al-Zawahiri was referring to a recent blunder by the presumptive Republican nominee, Senator John McCain, who has claimed that Iranian operatives are “taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back” to Iraq.
Although McCain’s campaign has attempted to whitewash the senator’s remarks as a mishap, pundits have questioned McCain’s awareness of current world affairs.
Irancove @ May 8, 2008