Isn't it funny how a few bits of intelligence can snowball into a national security mandate? http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030403-024040-6730r WASHINGTON, April 3 (UPI) -- Iran's senior leadership decided last month to send irregular paramilitary units across their border with Iraq to harass American soldiers once Saddam Hussein's regime fell, according to U.S. intelligence reports. On March 24, a U.S. intelligence agency issued a "spot report" to a wide range of senior U.S. officials detailing conversations in a meeting of the Islamic Republic's top leadership in the equivalent of the U.S. National Security Council. The council, which is working on Iran's post-conflict strategy, includes Iranian President Mohammed Khatami and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei. "This confirmed all of our suspicions that the Iranians are not our friends and not for peace in the region. They are in fact for a piece of the region," one U.S. intelligence official told United Press International.
I thought we had to go after Syria first for selling equipment to Iraq. The world is so confusing when you view it in black and white.
This shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Iran has fought Iraq over control of this region for decades now. Why should they not try to take when the taking is easy?
At least Iran picked the right side to win the war. Besides, Bush never reads intelligence reports. He is too busy with the Koolaid smile for his photo ops...errrr...chopping wood on his ranch. Ooooh Yea!
Great! Just after finally finding Iraq on the map, you want Bush to find Iran? Intel guy: Iran, sir. Bush: You ran? Where? I run, too! Intel guy: Iran, the country. Bush: Man, the whole country? You run more than me! That could work in the next election. Kinda like Forrest Gump runs for President! Intel guy: No, sir. We now have an Iranian sandwich. Bush: Iranian Sandwich? Is that Kosher? Who's one first?
The next line should have been: No, I run the country. No sir, you don't run the country. Seriously, if Washington wishes to take on Iran (or anyone else), they'll have to do it on their own. Even Blair couldn't stomach this. I'm actually a wee bit happier with Tony this week. At least they are showing that Bush doesn't have a blank cheque. It might still be a big cheque, but at least it is fixed.
If they refer to the iraqi shia militia (thousands of armed men) that, at least as I heard, are currently in Iran, well... probably they want to go back in Iraq and Iran will let them in. They've already said they don't like the idea of occupation and the already formed US government of Iraq.
Not really -- considering the Shi'ite majority in the south woud be sympathetic to the Iranian cause and there's no Saddam to hold them back, it's questionable how much the US will want to commit to stopping the Iranians. All it does is indefinitely increase the occupation time, and that would be politically unpopular.
We aren't going to war with Iran. There is less than no chance. Anybody who thinks so is a lot dumber than you wish the President is. What's more, by 2010 Iran will be seen as our best freind in the region. They are not Arabs, they are not Sunni, and they are not our enemy. You need to do some research into the workings of the Persian Government and who the Revolutionary Council represents. And you really ought to find out what you're talking about before you start discussing the Shi'ia. They're a fascinating story, and one about which you clearly know absolutely nothing. For the record, we aren't going to fight them either, and they have no desire to fight us. Patent nonsense.
I completely agree. This is not going to happen. This is a bit presumptious. Best friend in the region? Doesn't Bush consider them part of the Axis of Evil? I have a very hard time believing they will be better "friends" then either Saudi Arabia, Jordan, any of the small Gulf States and most importantly Turkey. Who has consistently been one our strongest allays in the Middle East. What of the Israeli-Palestianian issue? It will continue to remain a huge thorn in the side for any truely friendly relations between the US and the Middle East. I again agree we won't fight them in a full blown out war. And they have no desire to fight us. Who does? But I believe you are wrong if you don't believe that they are on the enemy list. Iran has long been considered one of the top terrorist states. If they are not dealt with in some manner it will show inconsistency in Bush's policy concerning terrorism.