Iranian who helped stop Iraqi violence is linked to terrorism

[laststeamtrain]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Iranian who helped stop Iraqi violence is linked to terrorism
Warren P. Strobel and Leila Fadel | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: March 31, 2008 07:32:22 PM

WASHINGTON — The Iranian general who helped broker an end to nearly a week of fighting between Iraqi government forces and Shiite Muslim militiamen in southern Iraq is an unlikely peacemaker.

Brig. Gen. Qassem Suleimani, who helped U.S.-backed Iraqi leaders negotiate a deal with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr to stop the fighting in Iraq's largely Shiite south, is named on U.S. Treasury Department and U.N. Security Council watch lists for alleged involvement in terrorism and the proliferation of nuclear and missile technology.

His role as peacemaker, which McClatchy first reported Sunday, underscores Iran's entrenched political power and its alliances in Iraq, according to analysts.

"The Iranians are into a lot of things, and have a lot of influence," said Judith Yaphe, a former CIA analyst who's now at the National Defense University in Washington.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/32141.html

[bemildred]

1. Nope, definitely not a US stooge.

Who knew that people that are not US stooges could have real power?

[ohio2007]

3. the puppet stooge was told to stand down by the Iranian general in Qom

Iraqi lawmakers traveled to the Iranian holy city of Qom over the weekend to win the support of the commander of Iran's Qods brigades in persuading Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr to order his followers to stop military operations, members of the Iraqi parliament said

snip
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/32055.html

But the general is not the puppet master of the larger Shia tribes in Iraq, those tribes have their own links to a different city in Iran ;)

And Maliki still stands in Basra even after mookie ordered him out.
So much for al Sadrs authority over all the tribes of Iraq.

[bemildred]

4. Indeed, clearly al Sadr is a figure of no consequence, and al Maliki rules. nt

[ohio2007]

6. Iraq is a confederation of tribes

In addition to Sadr, who is in Qom pursuing religious studies, Iraqi lawmakers met Suleimani, said Osama al Nejafi, a legislator on the parliamentary committee formed to solve the Basra crisis.

"An agreement was signed," Nejafi said, referring to Sadr. "Iran was part of the problem and an effective part of the negotiations."

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/32055.html

That "tool" is as influential in Iraqi politics as Leiberman is in US politics. Ok, throw in Ralph Nader and Jesse "the body" Ventura I'll give ya that extra clout

lol

[bemildred]

8. Al Sadr is like Lieberman?

I must say that's an idea I hadn't considered before. I don't think Joe would like that comparison. Or did you mean al Maliki?

[Hulk]

2. He's Iranian. He's a terrorist. Simple logic for the simple minded.

These bigoted repugs are running the country and ruining everything they touch. God, can we ever recover from this?

[ohio2007]

5. The treasury department put him on the list.

They are following the money trail he spreads around the middle east.Iranian assets have been frozen by the treasury department since 1979, I don't think they were a rethug tool back then.

[leftchick]

7. didn't hillary vote to have him branded a "terrorist"??

I thought so.

[Supersedeas]

9. oh, and where's Condi -- still propping up the legacy of the Coward in Chef