Iraq and Taking the Low Road Against Iran
The Bush administration appears to be on the verge of escalating its war of words against Iran by accusing it of harboring Al Qaeda terrorists in an effort to win support for tougher U.N. sanctions.
For anyone who has followed the devious aspects of the White House’s campaign against Iran, it should come as no surprise that there is a wee problem with the allegation:
While there is no question that Teheran government has supported the insurgency in Iraq, there is evidence that it doesn’t want terrorists playing in its own sandbox.
As recently as last week, reports The Washington Post, the CIA sent an urgent report to the National Security Council stating that Iranian authorities had arrested two Al Qaeda operatives traveling through Iran on their way from Pakistan to Iraq. The arrests were presented to President Bush’s senior policy advisers as evidence that Iran appears committed to stopping Al Qaeda foot traffic across its borders.
More here.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reports that U.S. intelligence agencies have ascertained that the most lethal weapon directed against American troops in Iraq is an explosive-packed cylinder supplied by Iran.
More here.
So there you have it:
Still more evidence that Iran is indeed wreaking havoc in Iraq, but a White House so accustomed to distorting the facts and obfuscating that just can’t resist the temptation to take the low road.
Iran is a threat in Iraq and the U.S. must push back. But what little credibility it has regionally and on the world stage will be further diminished when the distortions and lies are revealed. And as with the cooked pre-Iraq war intelligence, they will be revealed sooner or later.
19 Responses to “Iraq and Taking the Low Road Against Iran”
The Bush administration should deal with Iran honestly and confrontingly. Everybody knows that Iran is involved in Iraq, there is absolutely no need to make things appear more bad than they are.
Besides the case with Iran is not just Iraq: the problem is also Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations, the problem is also Hezbollah, the problem is also nuclear weapons, etc. etc.
Hi Michael:
There is a very strong case to be made against Iran on several fronts, but the ability of the White House to sh*t in its own hat is simply incredible.
If you thought that the arrogance of these people has diminished because of the disasters of the last few years you would be wrong. If you think lessons have been learned you would be wrong.
It is a tragic disgrace that even the things that shouldn’t be too difficult to get right aren’t gotten right.
The Bush administration also needs to deal honestly with the potential consequences of an attack on Iran. The way I see it, the current build-up is far too similar to what preceded the invasion of Iraq . No one is talking about what we would do if oil hit $100 a barrel as a result, or if Iran chose to use her army to attack our forces in Iraq. They could also release the al queda suspects and sponsor many more acts of terrorism.
I not only do not trust this administration to present evidence of Iran’s interference fairly, I do not trust their ability to evaluate the likely results of an air attack on Iran. The same group that pushed Bush into our ill-advised Iraq war is now pushing an attack on Iran. Congress needs to stop acting like a bunch of wimps and do their constitutional duty to stop this while they still can. The GOP is scared to come out against a CIC from their own party, and the Dems do not want Bush’s mistakes to be laid at their feet. There are a few notable exceptions: Ron Paul, Walter Jones and Jim Webb.
KR The W Administration and Republican oversight record is ‘inappropriate’. Nobody ar TMV even mention the Levin hearings here. Doug Feith made the rounds yesterday starting his histrory revision. BJ covered this and the attack on Elie Wiesel yesterday. Others worry about Soros – LOL.
The USA is not going to attack Iran. GWB would be impeached. Hung and executed.
There is no stomach in this country for such action. What he is attempting to do is apply immense pressure on Iran and the world. He is attempting to make everyone think he wants to attack IRAN so that they will Vote for his sanctions in an effort to prevent the USA from attacking IRAN.
The problem I see with this entire scenario is that If I can see this mousey move so can everyone else. That begs the question Shaun just what sould the USA do with IRAN.
Oh yeah Hillary expounded on it clearly. We should have fireside chats with the Ayatollah and that other guy that wants to turn the middle east into a smouldering cinder.
This is very clearly a religious war where the USA has tried once again to stop it from errupting. Radical Shia led by Iran against the forces of Sunni which are led by the rest of the damn world.
What should be allowed to take place is that the Sunni and the Shia should fight it out for Middle eastern supremacy.
Why is it you think Iran wants Nukes? They are a minority and if they are eventually ganged up on they will most certainly fall. They want nukes not to nuke Israel but to bully the Middle east and to gain their way.
Irans Nuke Ambitions is going to force Saudi, Egypt and God knows who else to seek Nukes of their own. Armageddon and the Middle east burning in an inferno as predicted by the bible is not a far off scenario if this is left unchecked because people hate BUSH and fail to understand the bigger picture here.
Kritter an air attack against Iran is totally out of the question. The simple reason that Israel almost exclusively used bunker buster bombs in the first weeks of the war and then went in with forces to see the results was a dress rehearsal for the USA and Israel against Irans facilities.
What they found is barring the use of bunker busting NUKES the air campaign would have little or no effect on Irans Facilities which have been built by Western Allies of the USA in an effort to prevent them from being bunker busted.
LOL…..What a wicked world we live in.
The problem is credibility and competence. The left will treat any claims about Iran with extreme skepticism, they will look at a confrontation with Iran as an attempt by the Bush administration to gain political support from their base by engaging in yet another military operation. Bush can provide any evidence of Iranian involvement in Iraq he wants, but due to the past it will not be believed. The second problem is how will we go after Iran, considering how this administration did not reflect on the consequences of its actions before going in to Iraq there is little to suggest that they have learned any lessons and will not repeat past mistakes. Any military operation against Iran will have a “oh god here we go again� reaction from the general public. I have no doubt that Iran is doing everything they can to be background player in Iraq, they can tie down American forces and put off the, in their view, inevitable confrontation with the US. I hope our response will be measured and involve the thought process. The Iranian economy is shaky and this is one instance where sanctions could work, but that takes time and is not the “quick� military solution favored by the neo conservatives.
Shaun,
Get real. A set of assertions with no actual evidence written by Michael “aluminum tubes” Gordon is proof of nothing whatsoever. The White House is so contempuous of your ability to smell BS they aren’t even using a different stenographer.
Try some Occam’s Razor.
Regards, Cernig @ Newshog
The use of EFP has a history in Europe starting with Germany during WWII. Terorist groups like Sinn Fein and Red Army Faction used EFP to kill over twenty years ago. Here of some info on these ‘sophistifated’ bombs.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/25/wirq225.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/06/25/ixnews.html
The Ministry of Defence has attempted to play down the effectiveness of the weapons, suggesting that they are “crude” or “improvised” explosive devices which have killed British troops more out of luck than judgement.
However, this newspaper understands that Government scientists have established that the mines are precision-made weapons which have been turned on a lathe by craftsmen trained in the manufacture of munitions.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=152580
Iran ‘supplies infra-red bombs’ that kill British troops in Iraq
By Toby Harnden, Chief Foreign Correspondent
Last Updated: 12:13am BST 22/08/2005
Alfred Herrhausen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Herrhausen
The use of local terror groups in the EU using these EFP’s, probably manufactuered in garages, is well documented. The use of EFP isn’t sophisticated, the use of MANPADs is a bigger threat requiring training. I’ll buy the SAM argument against Iran, but the IRA could help Iraqis insurgents use EFPs.
Rudi, before you buy the MANPADS = Iran meme, you might want to read this from 2004′s WaPo and apply Occam’s Razor to all the warmongering rhetoric.
Regards, C
Cernig:
So while I gather that you think that Michael Gordon’s reporting is odiferous, you agree with the central thesis of my post:
That despite the ample evidence that Iran is wreaking havoc in Iraq, the White House so accustomed to distorting and obfuscating that it just can’t resist the temptation to take the low road.
Iran is a threat in Iraq and the U.S. must push back. But what little credibility it has regionally and on the world stage will be further diminished when the distortions and lies are revealed. And as with the cooked pre-Iraq war intelligence, they will be revealed sooner or later.that
Cernig:
Pardon the extra verbage. Let me try again . . .
So while I gather that you think that Michael Gordon’s reporting is odiferous, you agree with the central thesis of my post:
That despite the ample evidence that Iran is wreaking havoc in Iraq, the White House so accustomed to distorting and obfuscating that it just can’t resist the temptation to take the low road.
LOL – I preffer the style page at the NYT for my info on MANPADS.
I’m tired of hearing the Iranian government is arming the insurgents meme. Lets get this right at TMV atleast.
Iranians (notice that means Iranian individuals) are arming the insurgents, since Iran itself arrests its own for black market dealings often (10+ year sentences infact) for doing what the US gov. is claiming the Iranian gov. is doing. The average Iranian living outside the capital are poor as dirt just the same as before the revolution in 1979, and deal whatever goods they can to survive….and arms are selling like mad now aren’t they?
What, exactly, would Michael Gordon have to do to get fired? Is it a “three wars based on credulous, misreported articles and you’re out?” policy?
UIS- Yes people hate Bush- for setting this whole thing in motion. What happens if while we are in this confrontational stance there is some incident in the Gulf? I remember reading about covert intelligence operatives that we have already inside Iran. How do we know they are not the precursors of an air attack?
Confronting Iran will unite diverse groups responding to the universal threat. Their government sees backing down on their nukes as being humiliated by the power they hate the most in front of the whole world. Instead of backing down, they are making the situation worse by interfering in Iraq.
carpeicthus- Bill Kristol still has a job, and he has been wrong about everything.
KR Rupert Murdoch has too much money. Billo and Billy Kristol are on his gravytrain.
KR Rupert Murdoch has too much money. Billo and Billy Kristol are on his gravytrain.
Yes, Rudi I know that the culture warrior’s show eclipses the rest of cable news. I guess viewers can’t get enough of arrogant, bloviating gasbags, who think they are twice as smart as everyone else!