Archived material Access restricted Article
Rantburg

Today's Front Page   View All of Mon 05/24/2004 View Sun 05/23/2004 View Sat 05/22/2004 View Fri 05/21/2004 View Thu 05/20/2004 View Wed 05/19/2004 View Tue 05/18/2004
1
2004-05-24 Iraq-Jordan
Iranian plot
Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.
Posted by Anon1 2004-05-24 8:59:09 PM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 We should have known not to begin placing any trust in someone who was convicted of bank fraud (Chalabi)
Posted by Mark Espinola 2004-05-24 9:11:38 PM|| [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1133085/posts]  2004-05-24 9:11:38 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Being convicted in Jordan when one is politically undesirable is hardly proof of anything.

Not sure this was strategically smart of Iran even if true. We got rid of Sammy, but now we're in their neighborhood. They might get a mullah to their liking, but they might get a semi-functional Shia dominated secular state controlling all of the high holy places.

If Sadr was the best they have then they blew it. (but of course, he's not unfortunately).
Posted by JAB 2004-05-24 9:15:59 PM||   2004-05-24 9:15:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Them curvy knived rascals. This story is just starting to be revealed, and we shouldn't jump to judgment. But it just may be that we're gonna have to whup them Iranians ass like pancake batter.
Posted by Hank 2004-05-24 9:17:12 PM||   2004-05-24 9:17:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 

Rats such as Sadr receive support from a monetary source.

It's high time the source was terminated.
Posted by Mark Espinola 2004-05-24 9:18:40 PM|| [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1133085/posts]  2004-05-24 9:18:40 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 A cardinal rule of intelligence is that you don't believe what anybody tells you. Axioms of that rule are that stories must be checked--single sources are often unreliable; everyone has axes to grind; some people are reliable and some are so unreliable as to be reliable; as with any transaction, what is expected in return?; you know where your enemies stand, but you cannot say that about your friends; the plan and the execution are never the same; what are ALL the variables?; what are the chains of command?; what are the communications being used?; if this is deception, how would it be done, who would be doing it, and what would it hope to accomplish?; etc.

Last but not least, a statement that appears on corporate reports: "past performance is no guarantee of future results."
Posted by Anonymoose 2004-05-24 9:20:02 PM||   2004-05-24 9:20:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 As usual, Hank seems to have it right. This is a new story, and in the world of mis-information, false leads, etc., this one needs to play out a little bit. I for one would be really surprised if we could be duped into a war, but "them curvy knived rascals" are clever and they lie without conscious. We may have to "whup their ass," or maybe we can get some of their own people to do it.
Posted by Jake 2004-05-24 9:36:02 PM||   2004-05-24 9:36:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Hank may be right - probably not about our having to "whup their ass," but rather when he says don't jump to conclusions. This type article is timely for the daily grind of the news making machines. The Chalabi stories hit, and the next bombshell is the Iranians duped the stupid hawks in the pentagon into war. The odds are that this is more likely part of the elect anyone but Bush program.
Posted by Sam 2004-05-24 9:48:16 PM||   2004-05-24 9:48:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 It seems to me that here is where we stand on the Big 5 Baddies™:

1. Saudi Arabia
2. Iran
3. Syria
4. North Korea
5. Pakistan

For whatever geopolitical reason, we can't go in and do some serious ass kicking of the Saudis right now, even some of their citizens and govt depts produce the great majority of the terrorist funding. So we will have to deal with them in other ways.

Iran is probably the No. 2 terrorism financer, and the biggest pain in the ass to GWB right now. Theirs and al Q's efforts are tying us down dealing with all the jihadis, insurgents, and just plain joe troublemakers. Iran sees us as weak because of the divisiveness in this country via the media, it is an election year, and the fact that they are going for the Bomb. Iran needs a shakeup. I do not see that we will be in a position for mil ops except for covert ops and raids on Nuke facilities. Iran will be a tough nut to crack if we don't get help from inside the country.

Syria is another pain in the ass for us and for Israel. They have been reduced to a client state of probably both Iran and Saudi. Cleaning them up will take the heat off Israel and Jordan. Syria harbors terrorists. If Iran falls, then Syria will probably be neutralized.

The NORKS cannot do anything without the enabling of China and to a lesser extent by SKor. The best we can do with them now is to keep them quarantined and to ignore them when they threaten a sea of fire and throw a tantrum.

Pakistan gets its aid from Saudi to keep its dirty little operation going. We will have to keep the heat on Pakistan so eventually we can clean up the NWFP. We are just going to have to put up with this schitzophrenic piece of geography for a while longer.

So it seems that the key to the puzzle is to knock over the Black Turbans of Iran some way, and to neutralize or unglue Syria.
Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-05-24 9:50:24 PM||   2004-05-24 9:50:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 The most dangerous location on planet Earth:

If strategically positioned Pakistan were to fall to the unthinkable, the madmen of jihad, then the stakes for the entire world become incredibly high in a flash, considering suicidal freaks with their bloody hands on the nuclear button? First off, India can kiss it goodbye ...

...I do not even wish to ponder this any further.

Pakistan can NOT be allowed to fall..case closed!
Posted by Mark Espinola 2004-05-24 9:55:53 PM||   2004-05-24 9:55:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Yep, that would require us doin a lot more ass whupin than our duped hawks want to do.
Posted by Hank 2004-05-24 10:20:25 PM||   2004-05-24 10:20:25 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 
First off, India can kiss it goodbye ...

Hardly. My wife is Indian, and her father is pretty high in the IAF Officer Corp. The Indians are anything but stupid, and they have thoroughly infiltrated Pakistan.

I would bet that there are a considerable number of Indian sleeper cells all over PakiLand. Also, India could wipe out Pakistan in the blink of an eye. I predict that if PakiLand falls, the Indians will do our job for us while we are still wringing our hands.

You see, they don't really have the PC & Liberal constraints we do, and they won't be shy about killing a few million Pakis.

-AR
Posted by Analog Roam 2004-05-24 10:34:18 PM||   2004-05-24 10:34:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Mark E and Hank are right - an Islamist controlled Pakistsan would be dangerous and would lead to some serious "ass whuppin." A greater danger still is the WMD in the hands of non-state terrorist groups. An Islamist Pakistan would be deterred for the same reasons every other nuke country is deterred - assured destruction.
Posted by Jake 2004-05-24 10:43:07 PM||   2004-05-24 10:43:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Why would Iran want the "Great Satan" and it's military right next door? The US has military bases popping up all over the middle east and the "stan" country's. "W's" list has Iran at the top of Axis of evil. I think somebody is just throwing something at the wall to see if it sticks.
Posted by Long Hair Republican  2004-05-24 11:01:54 PM||   2004-05-24 11:01:54 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 I think the Mullahs would do anything to get rid of Saddam without regard for the consequences.
Posted by Phil B  2004-05-24 11:40:39 PM||   2004-05-24 11:40:39 PM|| Front Page Top

11:22 Mr. Davis
10:06 yorgos
09:40 CrazyFool
02:16 .com
01:45 Mark Espinola
01:38 ex-lib
01:30 Anonymous4617
01:21 FED UP
01:12 Anonymous4989
01:12 Bomb-a-rama
00:58 ex-lib
00:48 ex-lib
00:20 Atomic Conspiracy
23:53 Phil B
23:42 Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo)
23:40 Phil B
23:40 Laurence of the Rats
23:37 Matt
23:28 Scott
23:26 Anonymous2U
23:18 Anonymous2U
23:13 Alaska Paul
23:11 RWV
23:04 Mark Espinola









Paypal:
Google
Search WWW Search rantburg.com