"...I Hate All Iranians" - Bush Aide

I must have missed this over the weekend, and went through quite a lot of digging the past few days before I finally noticed it. It hasn't exactly made many headlines as far as I can tell, even though it most certainly should. Debra Cagan, a top foreign policy aide to Bush, apparently told members of the British Parliament visiting the Pentagon on September 11 that she hates "all Iranians."

The six MPs were taken aback by the hardline approach of the Pentagon and in particular Ms Cagan, one of Mr Bush's foreign policy advisers.

She made it clear that although the US had no plans to attack Iran, it did not rule out doing so if the Iranians ignored warnings not to develop a nuclear bomb.

It was her tone when they met her on September 11 that shocked them most.

The MPs say that at one point she said: "In any case, I hate all Iranians."

But the anonymous members of Parliament added more.

"She seemed more keen on saying she didn't like Iranians than that the US had no plans to attack Iran," said one MP. "She did say there were no plans for an attack but the tone did not fit the words."

Another MP said: "I formed the impression that some in America are looking for an excuse to attack Iran. It was very alarming."

Tory Stuart Graham, who was on the ten-day trip, would not discuss Ms Cagan but said: "It was very sobering to hear from the horse's mouth how the US sees the situation."

Ms Cagan, whose job involves keeping the coalition in Iraq together, also criticised Britain for pulling out troops.

"She said if we leave the south of Iraq, the Iranians will take it over," said one MP.

Another said: "She is very forceful and some of my colleagues were intimidated by her muscular style."

The Pentagon is, of course, denying this. But who do you really tend to believe? The UK media hasn't been one to lie over the past few years.