US officials in Iraq say violence is down since this summer's troop buildup. Now they want to know what role, if any, Iran played in the downturn. Nearly 30,000 more US troops have filed into Iraq since June. Officials say that surge has led to a 55 percent drop in overall violence. One officer says some areas are at their lowest levels in more than two years. The US has accused Iran of arming, training and funding Shiite extremists inside Iraq. But in recent weeks, authorities say Tehran seems to have slowed the flow of weapons across the border. A spokesman says it's too early to determine if this trend will last or something else may be in the works.
|