Maybe it is time to say goodbye to the Americans. It is always the same, the Americans find out something but they dont tell anyone but they expect all other countries to inform them straight away. Maybe its time for Britain to consider America as the enemy. The Americans have killed plenty British soldiers by apparently by accident and they consider it a joke. I reckon maybe we should start targeting American troops and see how they take it

General Blood, Edinburgh, Lothians

I dont want to say anything that compare the UK and Us armies, but it seems that US want to compensate their deaths in other parts of Iraq by ignoring this important datum about the Iranian activities. The world minds say that UK is in a safer position in Iraq than the US.

Mansour, London, UK

How things have changed since the War of Jenkins Ear where Britain went to war over some spaniards allegedly cutting off the ear of a British sea captain.
The UK and USA bend over backwards to be politically correct and the Iranians, terrorists and insurgents are laughing their faces off and exploit it for all its worth. Unfortunately there is no Maggie Thatcher or Ronald Reagan around to keep the Iranians honest.

Jim, Sugar Land, USA/Texas

Perhaps Joe Lyall from Calgary, who advocates attacking Iran, should be sent in first. Maybe that will teach both a lesson !

John Taylor, London,

Well well, what a surprise! what will we hear next, after this relevation I would not be surprised to hear that the US is providing arms & support to the 'official' Iraqi army. The world is so unpredictable, I am astonished!

Kevin Sullivan, London, UK

It's funny that American and British forces invaded a country and they think they will receive roses and kisses in respond. Iraqis has the right fight with invasion and buy arms from any country that they can. I hope more casualties for invaders. They will learn don't enter another country for oil. Iran has the right to help Iraqis for defending their country. You want to kill people without any reaction from them.

Jason, Montreal, Canada

Since one side of the Iraq & Afghanistan war has the most advanced and modern weapons on earth, with no limit to their quantity and speed of delivery, whatswrong with the other side getting some rudimentary defensive weapons to defend their homes and land ? Surely these soldiers of occupation are not Cowards who would only dare to fight people who are armed with knifes and pea shooters ? Aren't they supposed to be heros and Rambos ? Fearless Captain America and Superman ? Or , Are they ?

Friend of Iran , Dongguan, China

It would appear that we must bite the bullet,send in the troops to iran.With thier necleur ambitions and thier support of terorisim we have no choice,it has been long over due.

joe lyall, calgary, alberta

Sergei's comment about the Americans knowing where the missile came from seems to be based on suspicion the US knew beforehand the missiles had been sent to target UK troops. As for later sharing where the missile had come from, given our previous misinformation to the British based on poor sources, one would think the extra effort to determine the facts on the origin of the missile would be appreciated.
That the Iranians will do all they can to aid those creating difficulties for our efforts, those of the US and the UK, is only logical given their goals. In a very real sense this puts them at war with our troops on the ground and one wonders what our governments intend to do in response to show them they cannot do this with impunity. The Iranian provocation of seizing the Brit sailors recently was a definite show of retaliation for US troops capturing Iranians in Iraq and other acts to stymie their influence. Getting away with their behavior will encourage more of the same.

lewis, Stone Mountain, Georgia/USA

- A private as an weapon expert who "thought he had seen"
- An iraqi known as fabricator
- Anonymous U.S. sources

That's all the "facts" presented to claim Iranian involvement.

Next: WMD's found in Tikrit!!!

b, Hamburg, Germany

With all the equipment in Iraq, why not have soldiers and helicopters patrollimg the border with Iran. Anything that moves, gets blown away.

Desmond Taylor, Houston, USA Texas

Well, if America has told the British the comment would be "another fabricated American lie to blame Iran" and if they did not tell them on the basis of unreliability, America gets comments like that of Sergei who said "With "friends" like the Americans who needs enemies !.". Remember the WMD documents? America can do no right no matter what they do. Thanks UK.

Drew, Greenwich, US

Of course the British helicopter had no business being there at all, any more than China or Russia would have any business invading and flying helicopters over the UK.

Hal, Tucson, AZ

The International Left will turn a blind eye and give Iran a pass. After all, in their perverted world view it's better Iran succeed than George Bush and Tony Blair. And this type of logic is not that unusual for the Left. Not long ago they defended the Soviet Union when it was running Gulags. They were for freeing the Kurds 25 years ago since they saw Saddam then as an American ally. Once he wasn't and the US turned on him, the Left forgot its crocodile tears for the Kurds.

Chuck, Salt Lake, USA Utah

The Uk and USA governments have obviously been holding their tongues on Iran for a long time now, and rightfully so after the WMD lack of evidence affair. However, it is established fact that many of the weapons in Afgan and Iraq used by the insurgents come from Iran. The only question is whether they are supplied by the Iranian government or by other means.
Exactly how long are we going to allow this country to play its deadly games with our soldiers?

Phil, London,

Upping the ante for the pending attack on Iran? Check the MSM with that mindset, starting with the Rushdie knighthood. The French supplied missiles to the Argentineans, which were used against British forces in the Falklands conflict but that was before the war started.
Iraq’s a little different: “Supporting the gallant Iraqi freedom fighters in their epic struggle against a totalitarian invader and barbarous oppressor.” In principle, identical with French resistance to German occupation, 1940-45. Forget patriotism, nationalism; it’s so last season. Think internationally: A war crime is a war crime is a war crime. Supporting the troops is not the same as supporting the war. Support them by bringing them home. But then the politicians would have to explain why they went to Iraq in the first place and what the sacrifice was for. So more troops sacrificed to save politicians from embarrassment. Sure they’ll understand.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Kanagawa

More unamed sources..... yawn... no one going to believe intel from spies agencies anymore...........

What about US supplying arms, money to "insurgents" in afganistan during '80?, or supplying arms to sunni groups in Iraq, or how about to warlords in Somalia?

Mr MR, Bath, UK

Guess where all those weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan come from! And I've never seen a headline that said "US supplied missile hits ..."

starling, Lancaster,

All Iraq's problems problems are because of Iran, yeah right...
Let's always blame everyone else first that makes sense

justin, london,

we are lucky to have the US a friends, of course its better to have creditable evidence, maybe its lessons learned.

bob , London, UK

According to WikipediA, the helicopter was more likely brought down by an RPG. See the entry under Westland Lynx. Whatever brought it down, the probability that America knowingly withheld information as implied, is approximately zero. Unfortunately, helicopters, yours and ours, are fairly easy targets for ground fire from the terrorists because they fly low and don't move that quickly which is why personnel assigned to helicopters have to be very brave. When a helicopter is shot down, the appropriate procedure is first to determine if there is a rescue to be attempted, if not then determine if there are coordinates and data to guide in an allied air strike or cruise missiles, and if such a response can be delivered effectively and in a timely manner. If there is a sufficient number of unfriendlies, a grid patten can be charted and B-52 or similar aircraft can be deployed to address the grid once risk of ground fire is reduced appropriately, and command authorizes.

Matt Lechner, Pound Ridge, New York

I would have thought that your editor would have known better than to use "Iran supplied missile..."
for the headline. Where's the evidence? If there really is any, its classified, as the article clearly confirms. Using the word Iran also suggests that the
Iranian government supplied the missile, again where is the evidence? I dont believe that some pentagon spokesman saying there is “irrefutable evidence” is going to convince many, we've been there before with the WMD stories, remember?
As for Des Brownes' statement “We stand between them and their ambitions to share the spoils of what is potentially one of the richest cities in the world.."
It says a lot about what Iraq has always been about.
We are not standing between them and the spoils, rather,we are taking the spoils and we "Aint Gonna Share!!"

Nick Simpson, Sliema,

Incredible. The Pentagon was party to the exploitation of fabricated and dodgy intelligence in conjunction with HMG to justify the criminal invasion of Iraq. That material was known to be from the most disreputable of sources. Has something changed?

Cynicus, North, Fife

With reference to Sergei's comment, if America were to inform the UK that the missile was supplied by Iran with the only proof being the word of an "unreliable source" it would be the equivalent of international rumor spreading. You cannot throw accusations like that around with only the word of a "well known fabricator".

Ian, London,

Quote "America knew that the Mahdi Army, the radical Shi’ite militia, had obtained the shoulder-launched missile from the Iranians but failed to tell the British because of a row between the State Department and the CIA over the reliability of the source" end quote.

With "friends" like the Americans who needs enemies !.

Sergei, London, UK