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| USMC hires consultant to probe tensions among Iranâs minorities |
| 2006-02-24 |
By Guy Dinmore in Washington Published: February 23 2006 19:07 | Last updated: February 23 2006 19:07 The intelligence wing of the US marines has launched a probe into Iranâs ethnic minorities at a time of heightened tensions along the border with Iraq and friction between capitals. Iranian activists involved in a classified research project for the marines told the FT the Pentagon was examining the depth and nature of grievances against the Islamic government, and appeared to be studying whether Iran would be prone to a violent fragmentation along the same kind of fault lines that are splitting Iraq. The research effort comes at a critical moment between Iran and the US. Last week the Bush administration asked Congress for $75m to promote democratic change within Iran, having already mustered diplomatic support at the UN to counter Iranâs alleged nuclear weapons programme. At the same time, Iran has demanded that the UK withdraw its troops from the southern Iraqi city of Basra which lies close to its border. Iran has repeatedly accused both the US and UK of inciting explosions and sabotage in oil-rich frontier regions where Arab and Kurdish minorities predominate. The US and UK accuse Iran of meddling in Iraq and supplying weapons to insurgents. US intelligence experts suggested the marinesâ effort could indicate early stages of contingency plans for a ground assault on Iran. Or it could be an attempt to evaluate the implications of the unrest in Iranian border regions for marines stationed in Iraq, as well as Iranian infiltration. Other experts affiliated to the Pentagon suggest the investigation merely underlines that diverse intelligence wings of the US military were seeking to justify their existence at a time of plentiful funding. Lieutenant-Colonel Rick Long, a marines spokesman, confirmed that the marines had commissioned Hicks and Associates, a defence contractor, to conduct two research projects into Iraqi and Iranian ethnic groups. The purpose was âso that we and our troops would have a better understanding of and respect for the various aspects of culture in those countriesâ, he said. He would not provide details, saying the projects were for official use only. Marine Corps Intelligence defines its role as focusing âon crises and predeployment support to expeditionary warfareâ. It also provides threat and technical intelligence assessments for the Marines. Marines swimming in funds for outside consultants or is this indicator 11? |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #9 Matt I think it would be more like getting a dead fish or black rose delivered signed "thinking of yuzz Saprano". |
| Posted by: C-Low 2006-02-24 19:07 |
| #8 Which might be why this has been published .... |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-02-24 15:40 |
| #7 Having the USMC directing an intelligence project at your country is sort of like getting a voicemail message from Tony Soprano. It can't be good news. |
| Posted by: Matt 2006-02-24 15:36 |
| #6 Things that make you go Hmmmmmm |
| Posted by: C-Low 2006-02-24 15:16 |
| #5 Technically speaking this should have been done by the CIA. That the Marines need to obtain a contractor says volumes about their faith in CIA data and intelligence. |
| Posted by: Clolugum Phomogum8353 2006-02-24 15:00 |
| #4 Broadhead, how do you see this vis a vis the general Marines' small wars / counterinsurgency focus? |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-02-24 14:46 |
| #3 Possibly prepping the future battlefield for follow on ops. ID'ing whose likely to play ball, local politics/players to be noted or courted, and whose cities will need protection or sanctioning if/when we clip the persians. OTOH, I never discount the $$$ factor. $$$ is policy most of the time. OS or OP would prolly have sight pictures on this. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2006-02-24 14:43 |
| #2 wow this seems very peculiar but then again im no expert, Maybe Dan D or one of the real clued up guys can help with this one. My thoughts are first that the Marines are just rying to get more involved with the whole terror thing so as to get funding (and the terrs) not that blatently obviously but i'm thinking how all the other three main services squabble for funding and resources and even who does what mission. Second thought is someone has been paying attention and sees the Marines as one of the if not the best tool with which to tackle terrorists - kind of an elite army if you like but how that conficts with spec ops i wouldnt and dont claim to know. Third is yeah were just months away from a whole big pile of shit hitting the Iranian reactor fans and this is absolutly vital to security. perhaps getting ready to lock down districts of certain heavily Iranian populated towns in the event of protests or far worse (not that i think there would be alot). Very interesting. OT, any burgers play EVE Online?? |
| Posted by: ShepUK 2006-02-24 14:33 |
| #1 Shouldn't this have happened earlier??? |
| Posted by: danking_70 2006-02-24 14:21 |