Iran's Secret Plan for Chaos in Iraq

The one important question that was not answered in our interview with Tony Snow. IRAN.

Video: Iran's Secret Plan For Mayhem in Iraq

The New York Sun's Washington reporter, Eli Lake, discusses his story from the January 3 edition of the Sun, "Iran's Secret Plan for Mayhem." Mr. Lake tells Richard Miniter that his Sun story, detailing how Iran is supporting both Shiite and Sunni terrorists in Iraq, will shape President Bush's plans for Iraq.

The video can be watched here.

The original Sun story can be read here.

Bush did warn the Iranians in his speech. Bush said Tehran supports attacks on GIs

ELI LAKE Staff Reporter of the Sun WASHINGTON — President Bush says we are effectively at war with Iran. Mr. Bush, in a much-anticipated televised speech to the nation last night, accused the Islamic Republic of “providing material support for attacks on American troops.” Eschewing advice from his father’s secretary of state, James Baker, to open a dialogue with Iran and Syria, the president said American forces in Iraq would “disrupt” attacks from Syria- and Iran-backed terrorists, “interrupt” the supply lines reaching back to those countries, and “seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq.”

That last sentence is the closest Mr. Bush has come to announcing attacks on Iranian territory, where American intelligence and military leaders have said the most destructive improvised explosives used against American convoys are made.

[...] But he also announced that as part of the plan, American soldiers would be embedding with the Iraqi national army units sent out around Baghdad to establish regular patrols. A Power Point summary of the new Iraq strategy released yesterday by the White House notes that Iran has been “burrowing” Iranian actors inside the Iraqi government. Yesterday a senior administration official told reporters that members of Mr. Sadr’s Mahdi army would no longer be off limits. The new war strategy also contradicts the most prominent recommendation of the Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker, which called for opening new negotiations with Iran and Syria and also for pressing negotiations with Israel.   

UPDATE: More on the Iranian skulduggery here.

UPDATE: Bush did something right: Iran, Syria denounce Bush's Iraq plan

Comments

[tazzerman2000]

YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSS! It's about ef'ing time.

The Iranians have over played their hand thinking that they had nothing to fear. Well, hopefully this time, we REALLY mean it and will in fact go after there stooges in Iraq and elsewhere (Syria, Lebanon maybe?)

[Kristopher]

So ... we continue with Option Two ... WWII tactics.

I think we need to consider Option One ... WWIII tactics ... in the case of Iran and Syria.

They will not stop doing what they are doing voluntarily, and we don't have the troops needed to invade and subdue them.

If we don't, we may end up being forced into a choice between surrender or Option Zero.

[Abu Daboo Doo al Bedrocki]

I don't think Iran will take us seriously unless and until they get a few bombs dropped on them. I am not necessarily saying nukes, but it has to be severe enough to scare the pants off them. Otherwise, we are just using words with no action backing them up. I sure hope the latter is not the case.

[eavesdropper]

Iran is our enemy. We have hard evidence that they are supplying weapons, IEDs, and assassins to kill our troops in Iraq.

My question is - WHY did it take THIS LONG to make them pay for killing our troops?

Analogy - if the Deli owner down the street is molesting my 5-yr old daughter and I find out about it... I do something immediately (strangle him)... I don't overlook it just because I buy food from him. He's a dead man.

Iran (and Syria) must pay for killing our sons and daughters. To do less is a diservice and a disgrace.

I heard Condi today say that we would "talk to Iran" IF they stop their nuclear ambitions...

I say BULLSHIT! Nukes or not, they have killed our troops, we have the evidence. You DO NOT KILL MY/OUR KID and get away with it. 'Nuff said.

[turn]

ARBIL, Iraq, Jan 11 (Reuters) - U.S. forces stormed an Iranian government representative's office in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil early on Thursday and arrested five people, including diplomats and staff, Iranian officials said....

read more here: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IBO154725.htm

One good turn deserves another, and another, and another...

[AubreyJ]

The President brought up Iran last night in his speech. Nothing like backing your words with action!!!!!!

God's speed to our troops and the Iraqi Forces.

Great post, Pamela...
AubreyJ.........