'Clear evidence' Iran is arming, training Iraqi extremists: US general

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A senior US military official said there is "clear evidence" that Iran is funding, training and arming Shiite extremists to destabilize Iraq.

"I think it is irrefutable that Iran is responsible for training, funding and equipping some of these Shia extremist groups, and also providing advanced IED technology," said Brigadier General Michael Barbero, using the acronym for "improvised explosive devices."

"And there is clear evidence of that," he added at a Pentagon press conference.

His comments came the same day that Iran turned aside demands by the international community that it halt uranium enrichment as required by a UN Security Council resolution, offering "serious negotiations" instead.

Barbero, deputy operations director of the joint staff, said he had seen no reports of "direct contact" involving Iranian paramilitary or intelligence forces.

But he said he had seen "reports of their involvement and presence there as trainers to train these terrorists and Shia extremist groups."

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060823/pl_afp/usiraqiranmilitary

[eallen]

1. Iran likes the US bogged down in Iraq.

[Ravy]

2. Sounds like a "slam dunk" to me. (n/t)

[sinkingfeeling]

3. What? No 'slam-dunk' evidence this time? Just 'clear evidence'?

[IndianaGreen]

4. This is as "irrefutable" as Saddam having WMDs

Brigadier General Michael Barbero is bucking for a second star by spreading neocon lies. We fell for this crap back in 2003, let's not repeat the same mistake again. The Pentagon lies!

[CollegeDUer]

5. Maybe that is true; but it is also evident that the US is arming

terrible death squads in Iraq. I think the message of "all foreigners need to get the heck out of Iraq" is clear enough here.

[anotherdrew]

24. we openly admit to arming terrorist that are attacking Iran today

what's good for the goose...

[Kagemusha]

6. Maybe he should name names, say exactly who's being supported.

And live with the consequences.

...Nah!

[Bonhomme Richard]

7. Same as all the other FEAR bullshit.

If they had captured one, just one, he would be paraded up and down the TV channels for weeks. Hell, even if they had evidence, or maybe a captive that verifies it, we wouldn't hear the end of it.
Just another salesman for the war with Iran.
I can't wait for the nest of snakes to be cleared out.

[Monkeyman]

8. Just same old bull crap

[Tempest]

9. All the U.S. generals in Iraq don't agree

To a man, the U.S. generals in Iraq say the insurgency is homegrown and getting very little foreign support?

And wasn't there a recent Pentagon report that specifically state Iran was not helping the insurgency?

[Sapere aude]

10. We use to buy into this shit back when you felt you could trust what

the military was saying. They were lying back then too. What is a general to do with no war to fight or no country to call the enemy? Freeps are probably orgasming over this yet not a stinking one of them will sign up.

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Well, I never bought in the 1960's and am proud to say I'm one of the

few who protested the first Iraq war.

[Barrett808]

14. Me too -- that was a lonely time

But it was awful fun to watch Poppy's ratings plummet over the next months.

[DavidDvorkin]

12. Assume it's true, for the sake of argument

So what? It's what we did to the Soviets in Afghanistan, what the French did to the British during the American Revolution.

British foreign policy was always to support, with money and arms, the #2 power on the Continent. That kept Britain's main rival, the #1 power on the Continent, in a position where it was tied down and squandering its resources.

There are probably many other examples throughout history. That's the way the Great(ish) Game is played. If we don't like it, we shouldn't be volunteer players.

[mom cat]

13. There is clear evidence that the US is arming and training and financing

Iraqi death squads.

[subterranean]

15. Irrefutable...clear evidence...there is no doubt...no question...

How many times did we hear those phrases before the Iraq invasion? Words like these are red flags to me. You've got clear evidence? Show it to us. No doubt? Plenty of people had doubts about WMDs. Irrefutable? Based on what -- some vague reports of unknown reliability? How gullible do they think the American people are? (that's a rhetorical question)

[HereSince1628]

16. We are in full anti-Iran propaganda phase

But only the 18% who support Cheney will buy into this.

The rest of the US and almost all of the world will never believe anything that pops out of US military intelligence.

[modrepub]

17. Duh

Come on did you really think they would just sit there and watch passively as you tried to choke off their trading partners, ridicule them as a member of the axis of evil, surround their country with your troops and openly cohort groups actively seeking to overthrow their government??? If you punch someone or threaten someone they're going to fight back any way they can. Only a pompous ass would think otherwise. Lesson: don't provoke someone unless your willing to fight them.

[ConcernedCanuk]

18. Who believes the USA anymore? - just USA voters methinks -

.
.
.

The rest of the World is getting fed up with

"The USA demands"

"The USA threatens"

"The USA says"

WE DON'T CARE ANYMORE

Go Home!!

And leave the rest of the World alone

WE DON'T LIKE/WANT YOU MEDDLING IN OUR AFFAIRS!

Take care of your OWN poor, your homeless and those in need of medical attention.

Show us that you KNOW how to run a decent country of your own . . .

THEN maybe we will listen to your advice

Just maybe . .

[MrPrax]

19. Training?

I can understand Iranians MAYBE giving a basic rundown of new 'weapons' that they might offer to their Shi'ite brethren, but I would think that since the Iraqis have been at it for awhile, it's the Iranians that might be getting pointers on how best to deal with the US/British military on the ground, if that ends up the case.

I doubt Iranians are going to be able to teach much to seasoned Iraqi guerillas active in the field that they don't already know.

The US occupation in Iraq is a virtual petri dish for all of them (and then some) to study.

The military can't really believe this sorry shit they are feeding us, do they?

[Jacobin]

20. Fuck that. I have clear evidence that

The neocons in the administration made up lies to go to war to conquer Iraq KNOWING that they were majority Shiite and then forced them to have ELECTIONS so that the MAJORITY Shiites would win, thus in effect giving Iraq to our sworn enemy Iran.

Top that motherfucking general asshole.

[struggle4progress]

21. Spin sampler

From the OP:

WASHINGTON (AFP) ... Barbero .. said support for Shiite extremist groups was the policy of Iran's .. government ... He .. had seen no reports of "direct contact" involving Iranian paramilitary or intelligence forces, but had seen "reports of their involvement and presence .. as trainers .. " ... http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060823/pl_afp/usiraqiranmilitary

From the spinmeisters at VOA:

US General Says Iranian Forces Do Training in Iraq
By Al Pessin
Pentagon
23 August 2006

A senior U.S. military spokesman says Iranian forces have infiltrated Iraq to provide training, money and equipment to Shi'ite extremists and fuel their insurgency. The officer went farther than others have in detailing Iran's alleged role in Iraq's violence ... http://voanews.com/english/2006-08-23-voa58.cfm

WP indicates guy refuses to answer the obvious question:

General: Iran Training Shiite Insurgents
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 23, 2006; 5:38 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Iranian government is training and equipping much of the Shiite insurgency in Iraq, a senior U.S. general said Wednesday ... Barbero, deputy director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it would be inappropriate to specify when, where and how many Iranians have been training Iraqi insurgents ... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/23/AR2006082301390.html

Xinhua chooses a quote highlighting American eagerness to defend Iraqi sovereignty:

U.S. general: Iran directly involved in Iraqi insurgency

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran has a direct involvement in arming, training, equipping and funding Iraqi extremist groups, a U.S. general claimed Wednesday. "Iraq is a sovereign government, and Iran should stop its actions to destabilize Iraq, " Brigadier General Michael Barbero, deputy director of regional operations of the U.S. Joint Staff, told reporters at a Pentagon briefing ... http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-08/24/content_4999442.htm

[LynnTheDem]

22. Bullshit,

Or are the Shia now "extremists" and no longer the "poor oppressed Shia"?

Funny how that always seems to happen to America, ain't it; former allies suddenly become "The Bad Guys" TM

Rightwingnuts; the stupidest MFers to ever crawl out of the swamp.

[mike_c]

23. well so is the U.S....

People who live in glass houses and all that....

[hedgehog]

25. Iran: "We're fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here."

Oh wait, that's our line.