Rewarding Thugs

The New York Times has an article discussing the hand that Hezbollah has in training fighters for the "Mahdi Army" of Moktada al-Sadr. The Iranian puppet organization is training Iraqi fighters both in Lebanon and in Iraq. The Times appears to be dismayed that this strengthens arguments that we should not be dealing with the thugs who are engineering the violence and fighting a proxy war against the United States.

The official said that 1,000 to 2,000 fighters from the Mahdi Army and other Shiite militias had been trained by Hezbollah in Lebanon. A small number of Hezbollah operatives have also visited Iraq to help with training, the official said.

Iran has facilitated the link between Hezbollah and the Shiite militias in Iraq, the official said. Syrian officials have also cooperated, though there is debate about whether it has the blessing of the senior leaders in Syria.

The intelligence official spoke on condition of anonymity under rules set by his agency, and discussed Iran’s role in response to questions from a reporter.

The interview occurred at a time of intense debate over whether the United States should enlist Iran’s help in stabilizing Iraq. The Iraq Study Group, directed by James A. Baker III, a former Republican secretary of state, and Lee H. Hamilton, a former Democratic lawmaker, is expected to call for direct talks with Tehran.

The claim about Hezbollah’s role in training Shiite militias could strengthen the hand of those in the Bush administration who oppose a major new diplomatic involvement with Iran.

The new American account is consistent with a claim made in Iraq this summer by a mid-level Mahdi commander, who said his militia had sent 300 fighters to Lebanon, ostensibly to fight alongside Hezbollah. “They are the best-trained fighters in the Mahdi Army,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The specific assertions about Iran’s role went beyond those made publicly by senior American officials, though Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, did tell Congress this month that “the Iranian hand is stoking violence” in Iraq.

The American intelligence on Hezbollah was based on human sources, electronic means and interviews with detainees captured in Iraq.

American officials say the Iranians have also provided direct support to Shiite militias in Iraq, including explosives and trigger devices for roadside bombs, and training for several thousand fighters, mostly in Iran. The training is carried out by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, they say.

The so-called "realists" that want to negotiate with these thugs are operating in a "reality" that does not actually exist. They appear to think that countries like Iran and Syria can actually be relied on to negotiate in good faith. They can't. They are engineering this violence in Iraq for the purpose of defeating the US. Negotiating with them hands them an unearned victory.

American politicians used to understand that you do not reward thuggishness. Robert Goodloe Harper once famously said: "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”. Maybe the "realists" should study a bit of history.