The centrality of Iran in the terror network is the dirty secret that most everyone knows, but will not pronounce. Our military people in both Iraq and Afghanistan have copious evidence of the Iranian role in the terror war against us and our allies. Every now and then Rumsfeld makes a passing reference to it. But we have known about Iranian assassination teams in Afghanistan ever since the fall of the Taliban, and we know that Iranians continue to fund, arm, and guide the forces of such terrorists as Gulbadin Hekmatyar. We know that Zarqawi operated out of Tehran for several years, and that one of his early successes — the creation of Ansar al Islam in northern Iraq, well before the arrival of Coalition forces — had Iranian approval and support. We also know that Zarqawi created a European terror network, again while in Tehran, and therefore the “news” that he has been recycled into the European theater is not news at all. It is testimony to his, and the Iranians, central role in the terrorist enterprise. And we know — from documents and photographs captured in Iraq during military operations against the terrorists — that the jihad in Iraq is powerfully supported by Damascus, Tehran, and Riyadh.
Iran knows it's at war, and may be planing to step that war up a notch. Amir Taheri writes that back in May registered presidential candidate Abrahim Asgharzadeh warned:
A coalition of military commanders and mullahs is in the making with the aim of provoking "a direct confrontation" between the Islamic Republic and the United States in the Middle East, especially Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mr Taheri also reports:"If these schemes go through the nation will be led into dangerous waters," Asgharzadeh warned. "There are people who want to push Iran into a war against the rest of the world, especially the United States."
Defense Minister Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani has said his ministry had "comprehensive plans" to make "life like hell" for the US and its allies throughout the region. "Wherever they [i.e. the Americans] are, we are also," he said. "And wherever they can hit us we can hit them, and harder."
Khamenei has claimed that the Middle East and the Muslim world at large were now faced with a choice between "American-imposed" democracy and "revolutionary Islam" offered by Iran.
There can no longer be any doubt that the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is to build a bomb. Iran has said they will resume uranium conversion and are not afraid of UN sanctions. That is because China or Russia will veto any sanctions. Russia may not but China most likely would. Memri TV watched as Hosein Musavian explained why Iran entered into negotiations with the EU in the first place. Mr. Musavian is Iran’s chief negotiator on the nuclear issue.
The negotiations with Europe bought us time to complete the Esfahan UCF Project and the work on the centrifuges in Natanz.
When the Taliban refused to give up the 911 masterminds who killed thousands of Americans we considered it a an act of war. We invaded when they refused to surrender those monsters to our justice. The Mullahs refuse not just to give up the terrorist who are very much involved in the violence in Iraq but also supply, train, and allow them free access to Iran and it‘s borders. How is that different from the Taliban? Yet we do NOTHING. President Bush and the State Department have stated a “No regime change” policy towards Iran. Iranian Kurds currently being butchered in the streets get no support. Iranian dissidents get nothing but lip service. A military option is only being discussed in relation to the nuclear facilities and not to the greater problem of massive terrorists efforts operating out of Tehran. We need to do more or our troops and our Iraqi friends will continue to be killed daily and support for Iraqi Freedom will continue to erode. Unless Iran cease to be a base for the terrorists winning in Iraq will not be possible.
This post submitted to Basil's Breakfast.
4 comments:
You forget the original declaration of war:
The 1979 embassy takeover in Tehran. That was an invasion of US soil by a foreign force, and should have been met with force in arms. It was not. And that mistake was compounded by the further mistake of failing to respond to terrorism sponsored, in part, by Iran.
It is only recently that we've begun to join the battle.
I can only hope there is a great deal going on behind the scenes to topple the mullahs. It's impossible to imagine long-term success in Iraq without crushing the mullahs' ambitions for Iraq.
Someone spammed my comments, and I can't get up! I need to figure out how to delete comments.
Lawhawk
I didn't forget the takeover, believe me, but since no one was killed I left it out. What I did forget was that an embassy is sovereign territory and as you say taking it over was an act of war.
Rancher,
Good post. Titus, Papijoe, Lancekates, and I have a new group blog, Internet Journal for Public Policy.
On my post, Should We Destroy Ourselves?, I propose that Iran is functioning as the terrorist wing of China and Russia in their War Against American Hegemony.
http://ijpublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2005/08/should-we-destroy-ourselves.html
I believe Russia and China are using Iran to cause problems for us. What they don't realize is they are playing a very dangerous game. The problems Iran can, and very well might cause, are beyond what China and Russia can afford to get caught up in. WWIV anyone?
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