US unit created to pressure Iran, Syria disbanded

[Barrett808]

Source: Boston Globe

US unit created to pressure Iran, Syria disbanded
By Farah Stockman, Globe Staff | May 26, 2007

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has dismantled a special committee that was established last year to coordinate aggressive actions against Iran and Syria, State Department officials said this week.

The interagency group, known as the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group, met weekly throughout much of 2006 to coordinate actions such as curtailing Iran's access to credit and banking institutions, organizing the sale of military equipment to Iran's neighbors, and supporting democratic forces that oppose the two regimes.

State Department and White House officials said the dissolution of the group was simply a bureaucratic reorganization, but many analysts saw it as evidence of a softening in the US strategy toward the two countries. It comes as the Bush administration has embarked on a significant new effort to hold high-level meetings with Iran and Syria.

The group had become the focus for administration critics who feared that it was plotting covert actions that could escalate into a military conflict with Iran or Syria. The air of secrecy surrounding the group when it was established in March 2006, coupled with the fact that it was modeled after a similar special committee on Iraq, contributed to those suspicions.

A senior State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press, said the group was shut down because of a widespread public perception that it was designed to enact regime change. State Department officials have said that the focus of the group, known as ISOG, was persuading the two regimes to change their behavior, not toppling them.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/05/26/us_unit_created_to_pressure_iran_syria_disbanded

[Kagemusha]

1. Silly. The operation is simply going covert.

We've already seen the leaks saying that virtually identical measures were going to be done by authority of the President by US forces, covertly. I'm sure it'll include plenty of "supporting democratic forces". Iran has stepped up its suppression of perceived enemies of the state; the two are likely connected.

All that changes is the US' public perception. That's all.

Edit: And that's why it's simply a bureaucratic reorganization, Boston Globe.

[Eugene]

2. Cockroaches scatter when you shine a light on them.

That's what happened here. While Condoleezza Rice pursues
diplomacy on the surface, The Cheney Gang moves its operation
under the table.

Earlier this week: Bush Authorizes New Covert Action Against Iran - ABC News

[peacetalksforall]

3. Dis-reality - is the Globe a typical dis-reality tool? Or are they

just reporting dis-reality up the line?

I am waiting to see if the rift between the two camps of the WH is true (Rice and other so-called negotiators who are supposedly seeking a non-bombing solution to give the corporations what they want in opposition to Cheney and PNACAIPACJINSA who want all out bombing of Iran and Syria.

I think we should keep in mind that one of the top goals of the entire group was to build their pipelines to Israel and the Mediterranean. They have to compensate.

It appears that PNACAIPACJINSA have not given up. Putting all the ships there must have been a group move, however.

It's amazing that the corporations and some in Israel are demanding that PNACAIPACJINSA proceed with the bombing and that they believe that it will go no further than that.

[anitar1]

4. Why would I believe this , from their lying mouths. Never.

I believe NADA when this bunch issues a statement.

[MrPrax]

5. Could the 'Welch Club' be part of ISOG?

Who's Behind the Fighting in North Lebanon?

FRANKLIN LAMB

"...To understand what is going on with Fatah al-Islam at Nahr el-Bared one would want a brief introduction to Lebanon's amazing, but shadowy 'Welch Club'.

The Club is named for its godfather, David Welch, assistant to Secretary of State Rice who is the point man for the Bush administration and is guided by Eliot Abrams.

...

Over a year ago Hariri's Future Movement started setting up Sunni Islamist terrorist cells (the PSP and LF already had their own militia since the civil war and despite the Taif Accords requiring militia to disarm they are now rearmed and itching for action and trying hard to provoke Hezbollah).

The FM created Sunni Islamist 'terrorist' cells were to serve as a cover for (anti-Hezbollah) Welch Club projects. The plan was that actions of these cells, of which Fatah el-Islam is one, could be blamed on al Qaeda or Syria or anyone but the Club.

http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb05242007.html">CounterPunch

A bit of a tangent...but to this Lamb piece, Fisk wrote a similar piece for the Independent called "A Front Row Seat for the Bloodbath in Lebanon". It's also posted at Counterpunch.

Besides the fact they seem to have entirely opposite takes on who is what -- one thing that is clear, Fisk has a much better relationship with the Lebananese Army:

From the Lamb Article:

15 to 70 percent of some areas destroyed. Some light shooting this morning and afternoon. Army shelling at rate of 10-18 shells per minute from 4:30 am to 10 am on Tuesday. Army will not allow Palestinian Red Crescent to move out civilians because they don't trust them. Only the Lebanese Red Cross is allowed. It is possible to enter Bared from the back (east side). The Army taking cameras of journalists they catch. The Lebanese government is controlling the information and don't want extent of damage known yet. Still unrecovered bodies. 40 per cent of the camp population have been evacuated. The rest don't want to leave out of fear of being shot or that they are losing their homes for the 5th time or more for some.

From the Fisk Article:

The soldiers are polite, courteous with journalists. This must be one of the few countries in the world where soldiers treat journalists as old friends, where they blithely allow them to broadcast from in front of their positions, borrowing their newspapers, sharing cigarettes, chatting, believing that we have our job to do. But more and more we are wondering if we are not cataloguing the sad disintegration of this country.


:shrug: