Uh-Oh. U.S. Troops Raid Iranian Consulate
BBC News is reporting that U.S. forces have stormed an Iranian consulate in the northern Iraqi town of Irbil and seized six members of the staff.
The troops raided the building at about 0001GMT, taking away computers and papers, according to Kurdish media and senior local officials.
The U.S. military would only confirm the detention of six people around Irbil.
The raid comes amidst high Iran-U.S. tensions, duly noted by President Bush in his speech last night, which included a not-so-veiled threat that Teheran had better back off — or else.
There is no doubt that Iran and Syria are harboring terrorists and that both countries are way stations for them. Is the Irbil raid making good on the president’s threat to seek out and destroy terror networks no matter where they are?
And perhaps distract attention from a speech that is being widely criticized?
9 Responses to “Uh-Oh. U.S. Troops Raid Iranian Consulate”
Uh-oh is about what I thought.
…and so the War against Iran begins…
Couldn’t this give Ahmadinejad the justification he’s been waiting for to declare war on us??? Are we prepared to lose a war on 3 fronts??? This is scary.
The raid was in the north were Iranian influence is near zero. Both Turkey and Iran have been involved in skirmishes with Kurdish terrorists. Like the war in Iraq, this was done because of a raid in the south would have drawn in Shia militias in support of Iran, in the North their is no such support. The PPK and PKK are allowed to run free while Iranian diplomats(?) are harrased. This with carrier group are maent as sabre rattling. The Iraq war is a
successflop, lets start another front.Rudi:
Excellent analysis. Kurdistan is probably safer than New Orleans at this point. (Sorry, Polimom.)
(Sorry, Polimom.)
Sigh… most places are safer than Nola ’bout now.
But few have more potential to ignite like Iraq, and while Rudi’s correct about the Kurdish territories, it’s hard to imagine the Iranians (or any nation, for that matter) overlooking a raid on an embassy, regardless of where it’s located.
WaPo’s article on the raid has more info than the BBC’s. I posted about it here.
Is Bushco trying to provoke a response that will enable him to get Congress to give him the authority to go to war with Iran? I’m adding this to the second aircraft carrier in the gulf and the choice of Adm Fallon to replace Casey.
The President brought up Iran last night. Nothing like backing your words with action!
God’s speed to the U.S. and Iraqi troops…
AubreyJ………
Good. I have not heard jack squat about what our army is doing to prevent the movement of weapons and money to the insurgents, but plenty about how Iran and Syria seem to be doing it with impunity. I’d like to see more reporting on the nuts and bolts of the smuggling.