Iran sends rare letter to U.S. over killed scientist

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http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/15/uk-iran-idUKTRE80D0NN20120115

(Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it had evidence Washington was behind the latest killing of one of its nuclear scientists, state television reported, at a time when tensions over the country's nuclear program have escalated to their highest level ever.

In the fifth attack of its kind in two years, a magnetic bomb was attached to the door of 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan's car during the Wednesday morning rush-hour in the capital. His driver was also killed.

U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton denied responsibility and Israeli President Shimon Peres said Israel had no role in the attack, to the best of his knowledge.

"We have reliable documents and evidence that this terrorist act was planned, guided and supported by the CIA," the Iranian foreign ministry said in a letter handed to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, state TV reported. The Swiss embassy represents U.S. interests in a country where Washington has no diplomatic ties.

[leveymg]

1. Regardless of whether it was the US or Israeli proxies, it is terrorism.

Assassinations are also an act of aggressive war, and thus a crime against humanity, and we will end up paying a high price for this.

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2. everyone is starting to look a little boxed in here.

it'll be interesting to what dance moves get invented to avoid anything serious -- if they can or want to.

[leveymg]

3. Those are two mighty big "ifs."

Look at the calendar, and recall the date of the start of Iraq "Shock and Awe" - March 20, 2003. We seem to be right on track for another offensive in the region.

All that's needed is another "Gulf of Tonkin" Incident.

This reminds me most of the run-up to the start of another glorious "We'll be home by Xmas" campaign - The Guns of August.

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4. Well, we're going to find out.

I kind of go along with your view.
And it seems to me Iran is probably not going to believe the CIA wasn't involved - not sure I do either.

[leveymg]

6. If not the CIA, Mossad through a proxy. If the US really opposed this terrorism campaign,

it wouldn't be occurring. We have a vast array of ways to convince the Israelis and their assassins to cease and desist, and to impose that mandate if they don't want to cooperate.

The only reason this continues to escalate is because some in this Administration think it a good thing to provoke Iran to provide a pretext for war. Some are Neocons, others believe a war is good election year politics, some see it as economic stimulus, others are merely satisfied to profit from rising oil prices and rising defense industry share values. They all have their reasons.

What they don't really care about are the awful costs to the rest of us.

[xchrom]

7. we're an endless supply of tax dollars to them.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-15/u-s-balances-relationship-with-israel-as-tensions-rise-over-iran-policy.html

U.S. Balances With Israel Amid Iran Tensions

U.S. coordination with Israel on Iran policy is intensifying as the Obama administration’s top military adviser prepares for his first trip to Tel Aviv since taking office in September.

President Barack Obama spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on Jan. 12 about Iran and reaffirmed the “unshakable” U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, according to a White House statement.

Tension over Iran’s nuclear program has the Obama administration balancing how to dissuade Israel from military action against Iran without fueling doubts about its support for a politically important ally. Appearing Jan. 8 on the CBS program “Face the Nation,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that continued pressure, not talk of air strikes, is the best way to forestall Iran’s nuclear program.

This week, Army General Martin Dempsey, the top military adviser to Obama and Panetta, will make his first visit to Israel as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “He is not delivering any specific message to the Israelis,” said a Pentagon spokesman, Marine Colonel David Lapan.

[FarCenter]

5. Strange headline -- wouldn't that be "murdered" or "assasinated" scientist?

[jwirr]

8. Considering that this morning the WH is saying there are no plans for war against Syria and Iran and

Israel and the US have canceled a planned military exercises that must have been some letter.