CBS News: U.S. And Iran Fighting Proxy War In Iraq

[sabra]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/29/world/main2410362.shtml

U.S. And Iran Fighting Proxy War In Iraq
President Says U.S. Will "Respond Firmly" If Iran Escalates Military Actions In Iraq

(CBS/AP) Outright war between the United States and Iran remains only a remote possibility, but the two countries already are fighting a proxy war inside Iraq, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

U.S. officials tell CBS News that serial numbers on parts used to make advanced explosive devices powerful enough to breach the armor on an American tank have been traced directly back to Iran. These officials also say rocket-propelled grenade launchers and assault rifles found in Iraq bear Iranian factory markings. Last May, a British helicopter was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile supplied by Iran.

Middle East expert Jon Alterman says Iran's strategy is paying off.

"What they would like is a country that is in some low level of turmoil, where they have lots of influence with all the major political players," Alterman tells Martin. "That's exactly the direction that Iraq is headed."

Raids on Iranian offices in Iraq have turned up computer discs which contain inventories of small arms Iran has provided to Shiite militias and records of payments made to key militia members, adds Martin.

[physioex]

1. Sure....

That makes a lot of sense. The insurgents are extremely organized and funded. Some type of covert government organization must be funding this along with the irate Iraqis. Iran is emerging as a super power in the region and unfortunately the invasion only helped things....

[MGD]

2. CBS needs to logon to DU more frequently. We figured this out about a year ago.

I wonder how long it will take for them to figure out and admit to China's role in all of this.

[Big Pappa]

5. Bingo.

[SpiralHawk]

7. CBS: "D'oh"

"I guess we were too busy brownnosing the republicon cronies in power. D'oh." - CBS corporate lackeys

[maddezmom]

3. Is the Iranian gov't supporting the Shiite militias or are individual Iranians?

Big difference, IMO.

[sabra]

8. that's the part that all these reports are fuzzy on...

Newsweek had a piece that said the connects where to Iranian agents/brokers. Additionally the report indicated that only a small percentage of IED have any Iranian orgin.

[progressivebydesign]

12. Apparently it's okay for the US to invade Iraq, kill their leader, kill 1,000s of citizens

But Iranians need to stay out of it.

[oblivious]

4. I like this statement. Substitute 'we' for 'they' and you have the current situation.

"What they would like is a country that is in some low level of turmoil, where they have lots of influence with all the major political players," Alterman tells Martin. "That's exactly the direction that Iraq is headed."

[Loge23]

6. The ramp-up continues...

NBC is onboard also. Couric II was on this AM asking the musical question of a military Iranaphobe: "(in light of this information) Can the U.S. afford to leave Irag?"
The information she was referring to was completely unsubstantiated reports about a raid that uncovered "evidence" about Iran's involvment in the insugency in Irag.
Will American citizens stand by again as this totally disingenuous administration pulls another one on us?
The WH is working through their tried and true channels once again.

[DrRang]

9. Sounds like the "Saddam tried to assassinate my daddy" story.

Wasn't that whole thing based on a claim that the guys who supposedly tried to assassinate GHW Bush had explosives or weapons with markings that showed a direct connection to Saddam? Then Seymour Hersh dug into it and found that the materiel was just off-the-shelf stuff that anybody could have obtained.

[John Q. Citizen]

10. Propaganda to pave the way for bush's attack on Iran. The British in Basra

say there is "No evidence" Iran is supplying the militias.

Notice how these same unnamed administration officials are being quoted all at once today by many different news sources.

[progressivebydesign]

11. "traced back to Iran"?? Wow... sounds like Yellow Cake, WMD, etc. etc. etc.

God. How fucking stupid IS CBS?

and furthermore.... Does the US really want to start tracing serial numbers on weapons that way? I'm CERTAIN that the US has been supplying arms to all kinds of unsavory operations, and I'm pretty certain we supplied the POISON GAS that Saddam "used on his own people" in the same region.

[TexasLawyer]

13. war "remains only a remote possibility"

I remember way back to 2002 and early 2003 when war against IRAQ was only a remote possibility-- a "last resort" only to be tried after all diplomatic efforts had failed.

War against IRAN "remains only a remote possibility"?

Yeah, right!!!

[TexasLawyer]

14. Somebody explain to me how Iran benefits by

fighting Americans.

Doesn't Iran now-- without any fighting-- have Iraq sitting next door as an aligned majority Shi'ite state?

Iran has every incentive to put down Sunnis, and guarantee Shia rule, but I don't get why Iranians would be going after Americans. If I was Iran, I would just enjoy the fruits of a majority Shi'ite Iraq.

Time is totally on Iran's side.

[daleo]

15. Seems like "war with Iran" propaganda

Along these lines - "oh well, we are already fighting a proxy war, so an attack/invasion of Iran isn't really much of a change anyway."

[roamer65]

16. So now its Iran's fault becuase OUR war based on lies failed?

Absolutely amazing how rightards can never take responsibility for their actions. Never.