Iran Training And Equipping Iraqi Shi’ites
An American general has openly stated that Iran is training, arming and supplying Iraqi groups engaged in terrorism in Iraq. The Washington Post incorrectly implies this is the first time this has been said. Actually, US military spokesmen in Iraq itself have been telling reporters this for some time. What may be a bit different here is that brigadier general Michael Barbero is openly stating that the Iranian government is involved.
Barbero said it is a "policy of the central government in Iran" to destabilize Iraq and increase the violence there.
"I think it's irrefutable that Iran is responsible for training, funding and equipping some of these (Shiite) extremist groups and also providing advanced IED technology to them," Barbero said. "IED" refers to the improvised explosive devices _ roadside bombs _ that have caused much death and destruction in Iraq.
Barbero, deputy director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it would be inappropriate to specify when, where and how many Iranians have been training Iraqi insurgents.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and other U.S. military leaders have talked about Iran's funding of the insurgency, but generally have been reluctant to directly blame the Tehran government.
Barbero said there continue to be problems policing the borders, particularly the one between Iraq and Syria, as Iraqis construct forts and slowly build up their own border patrol forces.
While some incidents of violence have declined a bit in Baghdad, Barbero said it is too early to tell if U.S. and Iraqi forces are winning the war there.
My son has told me that the troops know exactly when a new shipment of arms and supplies come from Iran.
By Guy, August 24, 2006 @ 10:56 am
I guess the big question, now that the Iranian government has been fingered , is what are we goin’ to do about it?
Sadly, probably nothing.
By jeff, August 24, 2006 @ 12:05 pm
What are we gonna do about it? nothing? why? because we’re trapped in a war we can’t win, the entire army is at its limit, we expended all our political capital with our traditional allies, expended all sympathy world wide because of our actions after 9/11, and now we can’t do anything when Iran wages proxy wars in the middle east, or when north korea fires missles over japan, or whenever the next insane dictator makes a powergrab in whatever unstable country. ever hear of putting all you’re eggs in one basket? If you have, tell Bush and Co. Iran just spit in our face and because we’ve totally screwed ourself, we’ve got to just take it, and we’ve got to take it from whoever spits next. thanks Bush, heck of a job.
By madmatt, August 24, 2006 @ 2:04 pm
Mikey wants to keep his job and we all know what happens to anybody who doesn’t do as the rummie says! Why don’t they actually show us some “PROOF” as opposed to taking the word of proven liars…remember wmd in iraq, great joke that was!
By ME, August 24, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
Nice way to implicate Iran without providing a single shred of evidence.
Frankly, this government is going to have to do a lot better than that this time around. I mean…hello? Do you think we’re that stupid? We’re going to fall for that one again? I don’t think so.
How about this:
1. In Basra, 2 British Soldiers are found dressed as Arabs driving a car with bomb-making-materials in it. They are put into jail by the Iraqi police, only to be busted out by British soldiers in tanks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091900572.html?nav=rss_world
this one puts the dots together for those of you who still don’t get it:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=KEE20050925&articleId=994
2. A Very short time later, the military starts talking about the new “shaped charges” that they suspect were brought in from Iran (not a shred of evidence for that charge either).
3. An american general makes an offhand comment that we aren’t training the Iraqi army to fight the insurgency, but to fight Iran.
4. After months of wrangling, Iran defies the UN. The US accuses them outright of being behind the insurgeny.
hmmm….. me thinks blaming Iran for Bush’s failures could be good for 1. the war they want with Iran and 2. midterm elections
Iran doesn’t need to fight the insurgency…their spiritual bretheren are already OFFICIALLY in charge in Iraq due to the Shiia majority. Sharia is protected by their constitution. We might as well have just invited the Mullahs to rule in Bagdhad.
And didn’t bush say that al-quaeda were just waiting for us to leave so they could take over?
So who would take over then? Iran? Quaeda? The boogeyman?
Make up your mind georgie…you’re confusing the children.
By Gaius, August 24, 2006 @ 3:34 pm
Nice misdirection. Stating speculation as fact does not make it so.
By jay k., August 24, 2006 @ 3:43 pm
iran, meddling in iraq? no sh** sherlock. anyone but the fools running the white house saw that coming. now they act like it’s a big suprise. next they will tell you they only found out because of illegal wire-taps.
By andy phx, August 24, 2006 @ 5:09 pm
hey blue crab! do you think this is going to get the public behind attacking iran? youd like that wouldnt you! this shows the total and complete failure of the bush, cheney, rumsfeld strategy in iraq! why are they letting this happen? why if they know about it dont they stop it? you just made the dems arguement that the dems need to take control of congress. you also made the arguement that bush has made iraq and america less safe. thank you!!
By Another jeff, August 24, 2006 @ 8:38 pm
And we’re supposed to believe all this scary news this time, why?
I’ll be looking over any longer documents from the mouthpieces and media hacks of this administration for any instances where they missed substituting “Iran” for “Iraq” while cut and pasting.