Gates says carrier dispatch to Gulf meant to dramatize U.S. commitment there

Friday, February 2nd 2007, 9:58 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that the decision to send a second U.S. carrier to the Persian Gulf region does not mean the United States is planning for a war with Iran.

Gates told Pentagon reporters the U.S. is trying to stem Iranian involvement in ongoing violence by Iraqi insurgents, and said there are continuing concerns about Iran's move toward nuclear power. But he quickly added that the movement of the carrier is to demonstrate that America is committed to the Gulf region.

He also said that he has not seen any credible proof yet that any Iranians were involved in the ambush last week in Karbala that left five soldiers dead.

``Nobody is planning, we are not planning for a war with Iran,'' Gates told reporters at a Defense Department briefing.

The Bush administration has increased pressure on Iran in recent months in response to allegations that Iran has been helping train and provide explosives to extremists fighting U.S. troops in Iraq, and the long-running dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

Besides sending a second carrier task force to the Gulf, U.S. raids inside Iraq have netted Iranian officials and Bush has said that the U.S. will send anti-missile batteries to the region. He has also spoken about breaking up networks the Iranians use to help groups battling U.S. troops.