You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Turkish Columnist: Another Two Iranian Military Commanders Missing
2007-03-20
Hmmmm.....
Turkish Columnist: Another Two Iranian Military Commanders Missing; Fingers Pointing at U.S., Israel

Ibrahim Karagul, a columnist with strong anti-U.S. views who writes for the Islamic Turkish daily Yeni Safak, which is the unofficial mouthpiece of Turkey's AKP government, has stated that since the disappearance of former Iranian deputy defense minister Ali Reza Asghari, two more Iranian commanders have been "kidnapped." He added that the espionage games being played by the U.S. and Israel, with Istanbul as their playground, are making Turkey look suspicious.

In his column, Karagul wrote that while the mystery of Asghari's disappearance is still unsolved, Iranian Col. Amir Muhammad Shirazi and Gen. Muhammad Sultani are missing.

He added that fingers in Iran are pointing at U.S. and Israeli intelligence services, and wrote, "It is said that five Iranians left Iran on Friday, March 16, and entered Turkey at midnight on March 17, and that they were handed over to CIA and Mossad agents on March 18. Whether Col. Shirazi and Gen. Sultani were among these five is not clear."

He warned, "If the U.S. keeps kidnapping Iranian officials, a big storm will erupt, because Iranian circles are warning that they have the capability and manpower to kidnap or strike at any U.S. or Israeli target, any time and anywhere in the world."

The very moment an American is confirmed as abducted by the Iranians, an Iranian submarine should be made to disappear, if one can be found at sea. If not, then some dreadful accident should befall a ship in port or a vital oil facility. Unlike , say, the Taliban or the Anbar insurgents, the Iranians have a lot of valuable assets that might as well have big targets painted on them. They also have a lot of assets in Europe and other parts of the world that are not beyond the reach of even private citizens, if the latter are sufficiently well informed and financed. Finally, their propaganda agents are also vulnerable and these vermin should not be off the table if the Persians really want to start a war of assassins. Bush isn't Jimmy Carter.
Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy

#12  Me like.

I hope to heck this is what it might be - we're finally, finally, hitting the Persian idiots hard, and daring them to react, as that reaction will merely help us.

Note: I use "Persian idiots" to refer to certain Persians who have dragged one of the world's great civilizations into the ditch, and who aren't technically idiots as they're sometimes quite clever, but who are "idiots" in the sense they they're people who could be productive and happy but insist on being criminal, uh, idiots!

Love the future History Channel image.

Wish Dubya would reach his full potential - he's shown he's got the most serious sense of responsibility since Truman. He's capable of stuff almost none of our pathetic political class (both parties) would imagine doing (I mean risky but neccessary overseas initiatives, not bone-headed domestic fiascos, of which all of them seem quite capable).
Posted by: Verlaine   2007-03-20 23:08  

#11  I was wondering about the nice Persian man who just moved next door. He's always getting visits from guys in black suits.
Posted by: AllahHateMe   2007-03-20 21:17  

#10  I wonder about areas of information among the defectors. That is, will we get anyone with detailed knowledge of their ballistic missile forces, their attack and defense strategies, etc.

We have pretty much covered their out of country operations, which are compromised as hell.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-03-20 20:00  

#9  Why does a rat desert a ship
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2007-03-20 15:40  

#8  Just finished a book on Stalin. Defections indicate a purge is underway, which will trigger more defections.
Posted by: phil_b   2007-03-20 15:38  

#7  How many does that make now ?
Posted by: wxjames   2007-03-20 14:32  

#6  good detective work Steve.

And what TW said.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2007-03-20 13:36  

#5  Should the Iranians actually start kidnapping stray Americans/Israelis around the world, they'd get ignorant civilians or low-level military. A tragedy for the individuals, but as information sources no comparison to high level Iranians clearly defecting to our side. I mean, they crossed into Turkey at midnight and went directly into US hands? What sane person crosses a third world border at midnight when they could instead deal with the petty bureaucrats during business hours, when they're a good deal less cranky?
Posted by: trailing wife   2007-03-20 13:14  

#4  if it were really true that

"...Iranian circles are warning that they have the capability and manpower to kidnap or strike at any U.S. or Israeli target, any time and anywhere in the world."

Wouldn't Iranians be able to keep their top generals from being kidnapped.

Cool to hear the Islamist brag and whine simultaneously.

Is like they couldn't decide whether to conquer the world or go on Oprah.
Posted by: mhw   2007-03-20 12:33  

#3  Guys this is how you win WARs.

I especially like this part=
"ranian circles are warning that they have the capability and manpower to kidnap or strike at any U.S. or Israeli target"
This is a threat? bwahahaha I guess they haven't figured out yet that causi belli or capitulation is our objectives. That above threat would mean the Iranian's chose Causi Belli.



Bush maybe absolutley incapable of rallying the people but the guy has the sack to do what has to be done and hold his word. I believe in 40some odd years when the black starts fading on the WOT we in our old Grandaddy Lazy boy's will be wathching those discovery History specials talkin about things we did to win just Sunshined, sippin a Crown & Coke laughing.


Posted by: C-Low   2007-03-20 11:43  

#2  Ah, here we go, from FoxNews Mar 18: The Sunday Times of London reported that the Mideast nation may be planning to seize American, U.S., and Israeli personnel to strike back at western forces for possible clandestine operations to seize top tier commanders of the Iranian military structure for information on its activities in Iraq. Ali Reza Asgari, a former commander of the Revolutionary GuardÂ’s Quds Force and a deputy defense minister, was the first high-ranking Iranian known to have mysteriously vanished during a trip to Istanbul earlier this month.

Last week, Colonel Amir Muhammed Shirazi, another Revolutionary Guard official was reported missing, possibly in Iraq. Also, the head of the Revolutionary Guard in the Persian Gulf — believed to be Brigadier General Muhammed Soltani — is also reported missing, according to the Times.

Spelling is close enough, these are our two missing guys.

Other members of the Quds Force, which handles military operations outside Iran, are believed to have been captured in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq, by U.S. special forces, the Times reported.

Well, the Turks do consider Kurdistan to be part of Greater Turkey

Israeil sources suspect a U.S. task force known as the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG) is spearheading the abductions of Revolution Guard commanders.

SOG Lives!
Posted by: Steve   2007-03-20 11:33  

#1  So, exactly why were these Iranian commanders entering Turkey in the first place?
Posted by: Steve   2007-03-20 11:20  

00:00