Iranian influence may not be everything it's been cracked up to be.

Curator · 05-15-2008, 11:56 AM

This past Monday, Pat Buchanan asked Joe LIEberman (I-Tel Aviv) whether he believed “the United States should conduct air strikes on the Iranian Quds force in Iran if they do not stop” interfering in Iraq. LIEberman replied that he “hoped” the U.S. would not have to strike at “the people who are responsible for killing Americans,” but said that the Iranians should “have in mind that it’s a distinct possibility.”

Today on right-winger Bill Bennett’s radio show this morning, Joe LIEberman expressed his openness to bombing Iran, saying that there is “an appeal to it.”

I think the Senator from Jerusalem is merely establishing his bonifides to become ambassador to Israel in a McSame administration.

What about all this interference by Iran? The LA Times reports that proof of Iranian involvement in exporting weapons to feed Iraq's civil war is elusive.

Quote:

—Tina Susman in Baghdad

There was something interesting missing from Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner's introductory remarks to journalists at his regular news briefing in Baghdad on Wednesday: the word "Iran," or any form of it. It was especially striking as Bergner, the U.S. military spokesman here, announced the extraordinary list of weapons and munitions that have been uncovered in recent weeks since fighting erupted between Iraqi and U.S. security forces and Shiite militiamen. Among other things, Bergner cited 20,000 "items of ammunition, explosives and weapons" reported by Iraqi forces in the central city of Karbala; an additional Karbala cache containing 570 explosive devices, nine mortars, four anti-aircraft missiles, and 45 RPGs; and in the southern city of Basra alone, 39 mortar tubes, 1,800 mortars and artillery rounds, 600 rockets, and 387 roadside bombs.

Not once did Bergner point the finger at Iran for any of these weapons and munitions, which is a striking change from just a couple of weeks ago when U.S. military officials here and at the Pentagon were saying that caches found in Basra in particular had revealed Iranian-made arms manufactured as recently as this year. They say the majority of rockets being fired at U.S. bases, including Baghdad's Green Zone, are launched by militiamen receiving training, arms and other aid from Iran.
Today brought fresh attacks, including an unusual barrage fired at a military base used by British and U.S. forces in Basra, in southern Iraq. A statement said "several" rockets hit the base during the afternoon, and that initial reports indicated two civilian contractors were killed, and four soldiers and four civilians injured.

It was the first reported attack of its kind since March 27 in Basra.

Iraqi officials also have accused Iran of meddling in violence and had echoed the U.S. accusations of new Iranian-made arms being found in Basra. But neither the United States nor Iraq has displayed any of the alleged arms to the public or press, and lately it is looking less likely they will. U.S. military officials said it was up to the Iraqis to show the items; Iraqi officials lately have backed off the accusations against Iran.

A plan to show some alleged Iranian-supplied explosives to journalists last week in Karbala and then destroy them was canceled after the United States realized none of them was from Iran. A U.S. military spokesman attributed the confusion to a misunderstanding that emerged after an Iraqi Army general in Karbala erroneously reported the items were of Iranian origin.

When U.S. explosives experts went to investigate, they discovered they were not Iranian after all.

Will this get reported? NO!

Personally I am prepared to believe that arms come over the border from Iran, but they are likely smuggled or purchased. It is safe to say munitions and weapons come from absolutely everywhere. However we get neocons fools like Michael O'Halloran at the AEI funhouse claiming that "half of U.S. deaths in Iraq are cause by Iranian munitions."

Bullshit...

O'Halloran must say it this way, because he can't identify any group that is doing the attacking. They place the blame on al Qaeda but keep to the Iranian weapons story. As if al Qaeda who is Sunni would be supported by the likes of Iran.

Puleeese!

The propaganda machine in Washington finally resorted to talking about "special groups" doing the attacking without being able to identify anyone.

Idiots

Jonesy · 05-15-2008, 06:30 PM

There is something very wrong with a politician who supports an ally more than their own country.

Curator · 05-16-2008, 08:50 AM

This from the Asia Times:

Quote:

The George W Bush administration's plan to create a new crescendo of accusations against Iran for allegedly smuggling arms to Shi'ite militias in Iraq has encountered not just one but two setbacks.

The government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki refused to endorse US charges of Iranian involvement in arms smuggling to Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, and a plan to show off a huge collection of Iranian arms captured in and around the central city of Karbala had to be called off after it was discovered that none of the arms was of Iranian origin.

The news media's failure to report that the arms captured from Shi'ite militiamen in Karbala did not include a single Iranian weapon shielded the US military from a big blow to its anti-Iran strategy.

The Bush administration and top Iraq commander General David Petraeus had plotted a sequence of events that would build domestic US political support for a possible strike against Iran over its "meddling" in Iraq, and especially its alleged export of arms to Shi'ite militias.

The MSM is missing in action on this story.

Ptech · 05-17-2008, 12:06 PM

Why should Iran NOT attempt to influence the outcome in Iraq.

If Mexico or Canada or Mexico slipped into chaos, would WE attempt to influence the outcome?

The neocons throw up another false issue. That would lead to war.

The war-mongers run the government here in North America.

CosmicRocker · 05-17-2008, 12:12 PM

who knows?
we can't get a definate answer what is going on in Iraq.

We do know Iran seeks hegemony thru the Shite Crescent, and Hezbolla in Lebanon.

poetrychic · 05-17-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicRocker

who knows?
we can't get a definate answer what is going on in Iraq.

We do know Iran seeks hegemony thru the Shite Crescent, and Hezbolla in Lebanon.

it's interesting you would say we can't get a definite answer about iraq and then be so certain that what they are telling us about iran is true...

BillCosby · 05-18-2008, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicRocker

who knows?
we can't get a definate answer what is going on in Iraq.

We do know Iran seeks hegemony thru the Shite Crescent, and Hezbolla in Lebanon.

Unlike the usa that is not seeking hegemony in the area......

Shite Crescent, and Hezbolla talking points used to scare ppl.....

When the usa goes half way around the world & kills a million ppl to liberate

them

it is anything but hegemony but if a local power (now #1 since we took out the old #1) has a strategic interest why then they are .>>>>> all those bad things that saddam, chavez, castro, binladen etc.etc.etc.blabh blah blah........

Scare me up a nice melody I can whistle while you beat the drums of war.................

05-17-2008, 12:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ptech Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fort Pierce FL Posts: 599 Thanks: 11 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Why should Iran NOT attempt to influence the outcome in Iraq. If Mexico or Canada or Mexico slipped into chaos, would WE attempt to influence the outcome? The neocons throw up another false issue. That would lead to war. The war-mongers run the government here in North America.
	Top

05-17-2008, 12:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
CosmicRocker Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: lost in a lost world Posts: 6,577 My Mood: Thanks: 71 Thanked 59 Times in 43 Posts	who knows? we can't get a definate answer what is going on in Iraq. We do know Iran seeks hegemony thru the Shite Crescent, and Hezbolla in Lebanon. __________________ "Hey now Baby, get into my big black car. I wanna just show you, what my politics are" "I'm a political man and I practice what I preach So don't deny me baby, not while you're in my reach." Politician - Cream
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