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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran training Iraqis to use munitions: U.S. spy |
| 2007-02-27 |
| By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran is training anti-American Iraqi Shi'ites at sites inside Iran and Lebanon in the use of armor-piercing munitions blamed for the deaths of 170 U.S. troops in Iraq, the top U.S. intelligence official said on Tuesday. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, newly installed U.S. intelligence chief Mike McConnell said it was "probable" that Iranian leaders including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were aware that weapons known as explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, had been supplied to Iraqi Shi'ites. But McConnell, in his first congressional testimony as the U.S. director of national intelligence, stopped short of saying Iran was directing the EFP attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq. "We know there are Iranian weapons manufactured in Iran. We know that Quds Forces (of Iran's Revolutionary Guards) are bringing them (into Iraq)," McConnell said at a panel hearing on world threats facing the United States. "Is there a direct link from Quds Forces delivering weapons, to the most senior leadership in Iran?" he said. "I would phrase it as 'probable' but, again, no direct link ... I am comfortable saying it's probable." McConnell took over the intelligence chief's job a week ago to replace John Negroponte, who is now deputy secretary of state. Under questioning by Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Independent, McConnell tersely acknowledged that the United States has evidence showing that Iran is training Iraqi Shi'ites to use EFPs at sites outside Iraq. "And some of that training is occurring in Iran?" asked Lieberman. "Yes, sir," McConnell replied. "I've heard reports that some may be occurring in Lebanon in Hezbollah training camps," Lieberman said. "We believe Hezbollah is involved in the training as well," McConnell answered. IRANIAN DENIAL Tehran denies any role in supplying the arms, and other U.S. officials including President George W. Bush have said the United States cannot prove complicity by Iran's leaders. "If Iran is training Iraqi militants in the use of Iranian weapons which are then being used to kill Americans in Iraq, I think that's a very serious act and one that we ought to consider taking steps to stop," Lieberman said. Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia added: "They are among the most lethal weapons, rendering the utilization of some of our heaviest and most vital equipment somewhat precarious." McConnell's comments were the latest in a series of assertions by U.S. military and intelligence officials that Iran is behind the appearance of EFPS in Iraq, where the weapons have been able to pierce some of the heaviest U.S. armor. "I don't see any direct linkage from Iran dictating events inside Iraq," McConnell told lawmakers. "Now that said, the fact that Iran could contribute weapons -- particularly the weapons that can penetrate armored vehicles and so on -- raises the cost to the United States. So I do believe there's a connection." Other intelligence officials including Army Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said Iran's ambitions in the Gulf region have been emboldened by rising oil prices and the success of Hezbollah against Israel in last summer's war. "Iran's armed forces intend to rely on asymmetric tactics using ballistic missiles, naval attacks in the restricted waters along its coasts, and possibly a strategic terror campaign," Maples said. Iran is under pressure to abandon enrichment activities that Washington believes are aimed at developing nuclear arms, a charge Tehran denies. Bush has said repeatedly the United States is not planning a war and that he wants to resolve the issue diplomatically. McConnell said Iran was determined to develop nuclear arms "in the next decade, more likely mid-next-decade. We would be talking 2015." He said Iran could have the ability to place a warhead on a missile within the same time frame. |
| Posted by:anonymous5089 |
| #12 Since we apparently captured a high-ranking officer in the Qods force, it's pretty clear the mullahs are involved. That the Congresscritters are more interested in BDS than defending the country is utterly unsurprising. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2007-02-27 19:57 |
| #11 "Moreover, if we shoot down his entire idea we miss the one detail that might be nice. A new terrorist group in Iran." Good point. We made a major mistake at the outset of this war by not clearly identifying the enemy. Calling it the "War on Terror" instead of naming the enemy as "Islam" or "Radical Islam" or "Islamic Totalitarianism" made it difficult for many people to grasp that in many instances in this most unconventional of wars, we would sometimes have to-- GASP!-- use unconventional means to defeat the menace. More black ops, please... |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2007-02-27 19:55 |
| #10 I'm gonna have to defend moose on this one. Sure, his plan is cumbersome beyond inpossible. He's a big idea, not everyone is always thinking about practicality. It's a fun idea. I look at it as, "not possible, but it would be fun." Moreover, if we shoot down his entire idea we miss the one detail that might be nice. A new terrorist group in Iran. How fun would it be to pick up the Slimes and read about terrorist attacks in Iran? |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2007-02-27 19:30 |
| #9 Regarding #5, I think Carl Levin must be on crack. This isn't like him. Here's the link to his comments over on Redstate.org... |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2007-02-27 19:21 |
| #8 Quietly infiltrate into Qom, then wire the whole city with explosives. Take a week or two and rig the whole place for radio controlled, booby trapped destruction. Tons of high explosives concealed everywhere. Aren't you the individual that suggested we sneak poison gas humidifiers into Iran's Nuclear facilities? Or something like that. What do you suppose we use to conceal the activities of the folks that plant these explosives, and the explosives themselves? A magical Harry Potter cloak of invisibility? You must have some really great fantasies. You should go back to reading cheap Science Fiction and leave the planning to the big people. I have a better idea, why don't we just run ARCLIGHT missions nonstop for a few weeks, then ask the MM's if they still want to play. |
| Posted by: Flitle Jiting3723 2007-02-27 19:00 |
| #7 The obvious solution is counter-terrorism. Give the Iranian leaders a taste of what Fallujah must have felt like at its worst. Quietly infiltrate into Qom, then wire the whole city with explosives. Take a week or two and rig the whole place for radio controlled, booby trapped destruction. Tons of high explosives concealed everywhere. Then announce the creation of a dozen new terrorist organizations that don't exist, but all of whom publicly make endless and outrageous demands of Iran's government. Then a lot of booming. And nothing they can do will stop it. And while it is going on, another city is being rigged for nightmare. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-02-27 18:36 |
| #6 Dave D. is going tottering, to the fainting couch! Good news if not garbled. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-02-27 18:17 |
| #5 From Erick at Redstate.com Carl Levin Calls for Attacks On Syria. Admits Al-Qaeda In Iraq & Troops Need to Stay A Democrat Makes Sense Today. Get ready for Carl Levin to get shot by Cindy Sheehan or some other angry lefty. I'm not sure what happened to him, but he's making sense right now. On Sunday's Meet The (De)Press(ed), he finally admitted that Al-Qaeda is in Iraq and American troops needed to stay there for "a counter-terrorism purpose." Today, he got bolder and and called for escalation of the offensives against both Iran and Syria. Bravo. Speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting, Senator Levin said to John Michael McConnell, Director of National Intelligence, I think we ought to take action on all fronts including Syria and any other source of weapons coming in, obviously Iran is the focus – but it shouldn’t be the sole focus. Folks, did you get that? In addition to admitting we need to keep troops behind in Iraq, Carl Levin now says we need to go after Syria and Iran. In fact, in asking John McConnell about what steps were being taken to cut off weaponry coming in from Syria, Levin went so far as to ask this question: I was just wondering, does the military have a plan to, if necessary, to go into Syria to go to the source of any weapons coming from Syria? And he wasn't arguing against such a plan. My first quote from him came after that. After asking if there was a plan to go into Syria, Carl Levin, yes *that* Carl Levin, said "I think we ought to take action on all fronts including Syria." I'd like to congratulate Carl Levin for undercutting several of the major Democrat talking points and I'd like to thank Senator Levin for calling for mililtary action against Syria as well as Iraq. The exchange with the DNI is below the fold . . . SEN CARL LEVIN (D-MI): “Now, in terms of the weapons coming in from Syria, those weapons that you’ve described as coming in from Syria and perhaps other Sunni neighbors are killing our troops. Do we have a plan to address the Syrian weapon source -- of killings of our troops?” JOHN MCCONNELL, Director of National Intelligence: “Sir, I know the military is working that border area to close it down from not only weapons but also jihadists coming in --” LEVIN: “It’s more than just -- we’re trying to close down the Iranian border area too. The problem is that these weapons are coming from a state which is -- doesn't recognize Israel either, just like Iran doesn't. We’ve got to try to stop weapons coming into Iraq from any source that are killing our troops. I agree with the comments about trying to stop them coming in from Iran, I think we have to try stop them that are going to the Sunni insurgents as well as to the Shia. I was just wondering, does the military have a plan to, if necessary, to go into Syria to go to the source of any weapons coming from Syria? That are going to Sunni insurgents? That are killing our troops? … I think we ought to take action on all fronts including Syria and any other source of weapons coming in, obviously Iran is the focus – but it shouldn’t be the sole focus.” (Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 02/27/07) |
| Posted by: Sherry 2007-02-27 17:29 |
| #4 I think a more subtle approach needs to be implemented OP , i.e ratchet up regional tension a notch or five , get Saudia and Iran to square up . Sure oil prices will go through the roof for a year or so , but thats nothing compared to the sparks that could be ignited if cards are played right . After all they deserve each other .. Would be nice to see a Mecca meltdown . Religion is the cause , religion is the answer (for these numbskulls anyway ) |
| Posted by: MacNails 2007-02-27 16:39 |
| #3 Nuke the he$$ out of both Iran and Saudi Arabia and 90% of the terrorist activity in the world will stop, immediately. The rest will stop once we declare we'll do the same thing to anyone planning any more terrorism against the United States. If it's happening in your nation, you're responsible. Tne United States wants to be "liked". Screw that. It's better to be feared than be treated with contempt. Right now, everybody treats us with contempt because we don't have the stones to do what's absolutely necessary for peace. You can't buy peace, but you can sure as he$$ impose it by force. We need to try it. It seems to have worked very well with Japan and to some extent with Germany and Italy - until the leftists took over. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-02-27 16:22 |
| #2 What really fries my ass is the fact that so many politicians are willing to let Americans get killed and turn the other way in the name of not rocking the boat. These are people you swore to protect, asshat. For so many years, and even now there are people that kill Americans and know they can get away with it, as long as it is ones or twos. Just sick. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-02-27 15:56 |
| #1 The $64,000 question is: What are we going to do? The administration "appears" frozen, incapable of making decisive moves. Attacking Iran, in any form would be a mistake. Equally, drawing the mad mullahs into a reaction is also a bad military move because of non-linearity and the "Law of Unintended Consquences". I can only hope we are at least partly responsible for the recent rash of IRG-related bombings, and aircraft accidents. But, we'll never know. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2007-02-27 15:25 |