U.S. Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran - Report

[gulfcoastliberal]

Source: NYT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. congressional leaders agreed late last year to President George W. Bush's funding request for a major escalation of covert operations against Iran aimed at destabilizing its leadership, according to a report in The New Yorker magazine published online on Sunday.
cut
Funding for the covert escalation, for which Bush requested up to $400 million, was approved by congressional leaders, according to the article, citing current and former military, intelligence and congressional sources.
cut
Among groups inside Iran benefiting from U.S. support is the Jundallah, also known as the Iranian People's Resistance Movement, according to former CIA officer Robert Baer. Council on Foreign Relations analyst Vali Nasr described it to Hersh as a vicious organization suspected of links to al Qaeda.
cut
None of the Democratic leaders in Congress would comment on the finding, the article said. The White House, which has repeatedly denied preparing for military action against Iran, and the CIA also declined comment.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-bush-iran-report.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

---

That's just awesome - our so-called "democratic representatives" keep on giving a supposedly lame-duck, unpopular president every little thing he wants. I'm beginning to think voting is a joke.

Edit: Voting this article up on the "greatest" threads would not be a joke. ;)

[DJ13]

1. Its obvious

Our Democratic Congressional "leadership" are just as beholden to the same political contributers as Bush is.

They are on the same team.

[gulfcoastliberal]

2. Yeah, I think Gore Vidal is right when he says this country is no longer a republic

Going to bed now, see you in the morning.

[tom_paine]

36. This country is an Inverted Totalitarianism.

http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/item/20080515_chalmers_johnson_on_our_managed_democracy

[Adsos Letter]

3. Setting aside, for the moment, the issue of whether or not it is right to do this....

seriously, how much of that money just disappears down a rat hole?

[blue sky at night]

45. ok...what part of it is never right to do this...

don't you understand? and that is why we are doing it, we are the WORST country in the WORLD...by far and away.

[iconicgnom]

4. From wiki

"Jundallah (Army of Allah) is a militant organization that is based in Balochistan. It is a part of the Baloch insurgency in Pakistan and in Iran's Sistan and Baluchistan Province. Jundallah claims that it has 1,000 fighters and has killed Iranian soldiers. The group has been identified as a terrorist organization by Iran and Pakistan.<2>. Many believe this militant group is linked to Al-Qaeda."

[FarCenter]

16. Is the objective to thwart the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline

According to a story a couple of days ago, the final agreements on transit fees had been agreed by Pakistan and India. So all commercial roadblocks to the pipeline had been removed.

I'd expect the route to be from southeast Iran, through southwest and southern Pakistan and into India. It would cross the Balochi areas in both Iran and Pakistan.

Obviously, the US does not like overland pipelines out of Iran that cannot be blockaded by US seapower.

So we would be funding Balochi "Freedom Fighters". The fact that they may be terrorists associated with Al-Qaeda is of no importance, so long as they are killing the right people in the right places. It's all part of the burden of being the World's Sole SuperPower.

[awoke_in_2003]

42. "so long as they are killing the right people"

That has been our policy for quite some time.

[AntiFascist]

49. So we are back to funding terrorism....

as long as they are fighting on "our side." Remember how the mujahadeen got their start. Al Qaida would be nothing without support from the Bush family.

[TonyClifton]

5. Bush just keeps on keeping on

trying to ruin the world and kill our children by making people hate us. Disgusting

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

67. You don't really think you are fooling ANYone, are you? -nt

[nwliberalkiwi]

6. What Would Happen?

What would happen if a nation funded clandestine operations against the USA. wouldn't they scream for a declaration of war. Once again the USA (Bush's cronies and a compliant Democratic Congress) take an illegal action. This country surely can't be called a Christian nation. Perhaps a criminal nation!!!!!!!!

[skoalyman]

12. it'll probably happen soon as the dollar and wall street crashes

who knows;(

[ananda]

60. This makes me wonder.

If the dollar and the markets crash, won't
there be many more desperate men and boys
willing to enter the armed services?

Was this manipulated?

[FarCenter]

28. You have to distinguish between "Terrorists" and "Freedom Fighters"

If a nation funds clandestine operations against the USA, they are "Terrorists".

If the USA funds clandestine operations agains another nation, they are "Freedom Fighters".

You just need to get the terminology straight.

[paparush]

37. Carlin - Crimefighters fight crime. Firefighters fight fires. What do Freedomfighters fight?

EXACTLY!

[JeanGrey]

29. And you believe that there aren't nations who are doing so or

have done so? Isn't that a little Naive?

[High Plains]

66. Yes, I believe there are nations who are not trying to overthrow

other governments. Most of the planet falls in that category. But we're special.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[drm604]

10. Take a deep breath and calm down.

:crazy:

[unapatriciated]

20. I went in search of ways to improve his critical thinking skills and...

when I got back poof he was gone.



damn that didn't take long.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

11. To be fair, I never graduated.

So I don't have a a degree in liberal arts. I have half of a computer science degree. Exactly one half too much, considering how my life has worked out.

[creeksneakers2]

13. I'll bet

we could tax ourselves into prosperity. Tax people for going to church especially, since I hate religion and believe there are no such things as right and wrong. They taught me this at college. Also, make government bigger for no particular reason but that I think government should be huge. :sarcasm:

Make fun all you want but Seymour Hersh exposed the White House times before and eventually the conventional wisdom caught up with what he said happened. We are being told that Iran is the aggressor in Iraq when we are attacking them. We are being told everything revolves around a "war on terror" when in fact we are allied with a terrorist group. That's the truth.

In fact, most of the things we've been told since Bush took office were lies. Lies have been outshouting the truth since talk radio became popular. A substantial segment of the population believes what they wish to believe and refuses to see facts. They've empowered the worst kind of leaders and have done tremendous damage to the country.

They complain about being called stupid. They aren't stupid. They do great at business and the rest of life. They just stubbornly refuse to learn anything new about politics. That makes them look stupid. If they could only understand how a person who didn't even notice how those terror alerts suddenly stopped after the 2004 election looks, they'd understand why people don't respect their opinions. Lies get exposed all the time and these people continue to believe. One reason right wingers never learn is they they are too insecure to accept that something they believed in could be wrong.

Their defenses against admitting mistakes are numerous. One of them is the anti-intellectualism. The righties believe they are right because they have a superior gift of "common sense." Real common sense would find that somebody who has taken the time to learn about something, held an open mind and looked at both sides has a smaller chance of being wrong than someone who goes with rigid beliefs and closed eyes. Going to college doesn't make a person right or smarter, it makes them willing to learn. In the end, that's likely to make them right more often.

Righties believe that going to college brainwashes students, while listening to Rush Limbaugh is enlightening. That's just plain dumb. The arguments given are usually just slanders against the left and the reasoning is that the right must be correct because the left is full of terrible evil people. That attitude is far worse than elitism. Its judgment based on irrational hate alone. Its a glorification of lies over the truth.

[Canuckistanian]

8. So, Bush is aiding SUNNI groups to attack the Iranian Guards?

They DO know that Iran is almost totally Shi'a, don't they?

And regardless of WHO eventually takes power, Iran will REMAIN Shi'a, right?

[creeksneakers2]

14. Maybe this will get us kicked out of Iraq.

Since Iraq's leaders are Shia too and care more for the Iranians than they do for us.

[Eagle_Eye]

9. I would like to know who these leaders in Congress are, both Democratic and republican

We have a Government for and by the People, not some secret dealings withheld from common masses by an elite group of royalty.

We, the citizens of this country, hired these folks to work for us, and I for one would like to see a little accountability for the tax money I am sending to the Federal Government on this issue.

[nuxvomica]

26. I think they would be the "gang of eight"

I think the following are the "gang of eight" who are supposed to be briefed on all intelligence matters. That's not to say that these are all the leaders who were involved but these folks are the minimum number that would be briefed. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

House of Representatives
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) 202-225-4965 (fax: [phone]) [e-mail]
Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-OH) 202-225-6205 (fax: [phone]) http://www.house.gov/writerep/

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Chair Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) 202-225-4831 (fax: [phone]) http://wwwc.house.gov/reyes/voice_your_opinion.asp
Ranking Member Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) 202-225-4401 (fax: [phone]) http://www.house.gov/formhoekstra/IMA/email.htm

Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) 202-224-3542 (fax: [phone]) http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) 202-224-2541 (fax: [phone]) http://mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Chair John D. (Jay) Rockefeller, IV (D-WV) 202-224-6472 (fax: [phone]) http://rockefeller.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
Ranking Member Kit Bond (R-MO) 202-224-5721 (fax: [phone]) http://bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

edit: I listed Hoyer instead of Boehner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang_of_Eight

[Cooley Hurd]

39. Great list, nux!

:hi:

I also think that, given what we now know about the warrantless wiretapping & eavesdropping, there's likely a HUGE amount of blackmail (inc. family & friends of the congresscritters you listed) involved, as well.

[nuxvomica]

40. There may be but there doesn't have to be to get the same results

Members of the GOE can't discuss any of these issues with other members of Congress or staff without violating the law. That isolates them tremendously. Note that Bob Graham was a member of the GOE at the time of the IWR and he voted against it. Others should have realized that was not a good sign.
:hi:

[loyalkydem]

15. This man

Bush isn't going to be satified until we have a war with Iran. I wish Congress would stop this criminal.

[tomp]

22. wish, wish, wish, vote for obama, wish, wish wish......

...isn't this fun?

[PuraVidaDreamin]

17. What are WE planning in retaliation to a strike on Iran?????

I'd like to know?

In case you weren't planning anything How about a suggestion???

Go to your closest major high volume traffic area
Get out of your car and STOP TRAFFIC!!!!

They will tow your car eventually, arrest you, youwill pay bond and to get your car back but
guess what???? THEY WILL NO TFOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE CHARGES

BECAUSE

THEY DON"T WANT TO PROSECUTE THE BUSH REGIME ACTIONS IN COURT!!!!!!!!!!

If they did an honest trial on these wars and their actions the people would
finally wake up and get real pissed real quick

[dixiegrrrrl]

50. Good idea

How did it work out when you did it?

[PuraVidaDreamin]

54. When we got arrested in the congressman's office- They soon dropped the charges

I'm telling you all, THEY WILL NEVER BRING ANY OF US TO TRIAL!!!

Never, ever, because we are all armed with the info needed to draw
attention to who the real criminals are.

[ohio2007]

18. Must be another June invasion season

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3373305#3373472

this is how speculators pump up the oil $.

See how the price of crude plays out by July 4rth

[Joanne98]

19. Covert operations are as bad, or sometimes worse, than war itself.

I thought we were over this shit. grrrrrrrrr

[Buns_of_Fire]

21. Wow, that's some "covert operation"!!!

The NYT knows about it. We know about it, as does the entire intertubes. Which means Iran certainly knows about it. I thought "covert" meant that NOBODY knows about it! Did I misunderinterpret something along the way?

Leaving aside the morality question of it all, how much more incompetent can these people in Washington be?

Don't answer that. We still have 205 days left to find out...

[JeanGrey]

30. No kidding. I am constantly amazed when people get such

knee jerk reactions to the "covert spies that are just revealed". Right. They'd be revealed to us in our media. :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[bemildred]

32. Yep, if it's in the NYT, it's fodder for the sheeple. "Covert" my ass.

The real question is why do our imperial overlords want this spread around? To provoke Iran? To spread fear and uncertainty? To assuage the anxieties of one or another of our various little foreign buddies who are tense about all the benefits Iran has reaped from the bone-headed war for Iraqi oil? Hmmmm ...

[captainmorgan]

23. October surprise?

Don't doubt it.

[TBF]

34. Hardly a surprise with the NYT warning about it...

[happygoluckytoyou]

24. winter in iran....... goodbye army

[BobRossi]

25. Key phrase.

"U.S. congressional leaders agreed late last year to President George W. Bush's funding request for a major escalation of covert operations against Iran aimed at destabilizing its leadership"

That would be Dems no?

You cannot blame a child for playing with matches if it is the parents that give him the matches.

Why do Dems keep enabling the tyrant?

[awoke_in_2003]

44. Because they are basically the same party,

very little separates them any more. To paraphrase Jim Hightower "This country could use a third political party, and it desperately needs a second."

[Broadslidin]

27. U.S. sanctioned Mass Murder surely provides power mad politicians, a Pleasurable High..

As,
t.v. corporations wallow in
wads of donated doe demanded from
the campaign con-game advertizin' biz.

Tis truly,
a perfect American 'feel good' style scam.

[whistle]

31. No surprise, the Emperor Chimp and his Sessho /Kampaku want this so much

...it hurts their hemorrhoids every day that an attack is delayed

[UpInArms]

33. "undermine the government through regime change"

more from your linked article:

"The Finding was focused on undermining Iran's nuclear ambitions and trying to undermine the government through regime change," the article cited a person familiar with its contents as saying, and involved "working with opposition groups and passing money."

Hersh has written previously about possible administration plans to go to war to stop Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, including an April 2006 article in the New Yorker that suggested regime change in Iran, whether by diplomatic or military means, was Bush's ultimate goal.

[TBF]

35. Iran must not be negotiating favorably with our oil honchos. That seems to piss off Cheney.

I wonder how much money he has waiting for him in the Caymans.

[sourmilk]

38. "Covert operations against Iran aimed at destabilizing its leadership"

These have been going on since 2003, through MEK.

Just another sad, sad crime perpetrated by the BFEE and a complicit Congress.

[L0oniX]

41. "covert operations against Iran aimed at destabilizing its leadership"

Good ol US government at its finest ...interfering with other countries governments.

:evilfrown:



"I disagree with what the majority of the American people want." John McCain

[MilesColtrane]

43. The strategy has probably shifted from funding and training rebels to...

...identifying and mapping targets for the combined U.S./Israeli airstrike that's inevitable.

[RedEarth]

46. kr

[DogPoundPup]

47. Related news: Joint Chiefs Chair hobnobs with Israelis in Tel Aviv:

Though Israel has remained mum on the intent of the reported exercise, officials in the Pentagon speculated that it wanted the world to take notice - to see that it is serious about its military threat against Iran.

This assessment makes sense, since Israel is becoming increasingly frustrated with the faltering diplomatic efforts to stop Iran's nuclear program. With oil prices rising, Iran stands to earn more than $100 billion from oil exports this year, up from about $75 billion in 2007, itself a record year. This increase in revenues is believed to be partially behind Iran's rejection of the new incentive package offered by the European Union, which included support for a civilian nuclear energy program and R&D. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1214492515999&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Damn those Iranians for having all that oil! And all Israel has are the palestinians olive trees.

[fascisthunter]

48. We Have a Sick/Evil Government

intent on destroying our own country for their agendas, profits and pure criminality. Nothing this overnment does anymore can be trusted since they lie to us on a daily basis.

America is not what it could have been, just as other countries devolved into tyrannies and rogue nations. Welcome to U.S. Fascism.

[High Plains]

51. The US government is a rogue regime.

[ohio2007]

52. Congress authorized carte blanche and looked the other way

I thought those fools ran on antiwar platforms?

/sarc


Seymour Hersh Exposes New US Covert Operations In Iran
snip

Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations.....
snip
Congrees looked the other way and said take the money and run


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=521_1214759941

You can fool some of the people all of the time

[BobRossi]

53. This is why I will not vote this November.

Dems are nothing but enablers. Fuck the Rat-Bastards.

[MilesColtrane]

56. Here's an idea.

Why don't you vote and contribute to the ones who most closely represent your views, because Christ knows, not every elected official with a D after their name is a shitheel or a saint.

They are all over the map, just like the rank and file of the party. The good ones should be rewarded. The bad ones, beaten like rented mules, and thrown out of office.

[FogerRox]

55. Its obvious, all the posts at DU that fear monger.

[galledgoblin]

57. WHO.

U.S. congressional leaders agreed late last year to President George W. Bush's funding request for a major escalation of covert operations against Iran aimed at destabilizing its leadership, according to a report in The New Yorker magazine published online on Sunday.
WHO. I want NAMES.

this is insane.

if the morons who approved this are the same ones holding back impeachment, what will it take to override them?

[eridani]

58. Iran claims to be digging the graves already

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/30/content_8459225.htm

A senior Iranian military official said on Sunday the Islamic republic is digging some 320,000 graves in its border provinces for future slain invaders, Iran's English-language satellite channel Press TV reported.

Iran's Armed Forces headquarters has approved the plan to dig graves for enemy forces in case of any attack on its territory, said Brigadier General Mir-Faisal Baqerzadeh, head of the Foundation for the Remembrance of the Holy Defense.

"We do not wish the families of enemy soldiers to experience what Americans had to go through in the aftermath of the Vietnam War," said Baqerzadeh, who is also head of Iran's search committee for missing soldiers.

The preemptive measures would decrease the time during which slain soldiers would be buried, the Iranian military official said, adding "the burial of slain soldiers will be carried out decently and in little time."

Baqerzadeh said the decision is in line with Iran's commitment to the Geneva Convention and additional protocols regarding wartime cooperation between Iran and the Red Cross.

The United States and its allies have accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges, insisting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.


http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=26653

The commander of the Revolutionary Guards said Iran would impose controls on shipping in the vital Gulf oil transit route if the Islamic Republic came under attack, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

Speculation about a possible attack on Iran because of its disputed nuclear ambitions has risen since a report this month said Israel had practiced such a strike.

"Naturally every country under attack by an enemy uses all its capacity and opportunities to confront the enemy. Regarding the main route for exiting energy, Iran will definitely act to impose control on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz," commander-in-chief Mohammad Ali Jafari told Jam-e Jam newspaper.

[bamacrat]

59. Where is the outrage?

Where is the media? America has the worse case of ADD ever.

[Barack_America]

61. Having supplied money and arms to Saddam Hussein and the Afghani mujahideen/Taliban...

You think we would have learned our lesson.

But no.

Damned depressing.

[agentS]

62. They're hardheaded

and they're sponsoring allies of Al Qaeda.

Among groups inside Iran benefiting from U.S. support is the Jundallah, also known as the Iranian People's Resistance Movement, according to former CIA officer Robert Baer. Council on Foreign Relations analyst Vali Nasr described it to Hersh as a vicious organization suspected of links to al Qaeda.

How low is our government willing to sink? To the point where we're assisting our sworn enemies so we can steal some more oil? Is Peak Oil already here already? Whatever happened to "the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend"? Whatever happened to plain common sense?

[Baby Snooks]

63. Hushang Ansary

Hushang Ansary was Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Ambassador to the United States, and served as the last president of National Iranian Oil Company under the Shah. He fled Iran prior to the Iranian Revolution and settled in Houston. He is a friend of the Bushes.

Hushang Ansary would like to raid the Iranian treasury again in case you have trouble connecting the dots.

[ohio2007]

64. Wagging the dog ? Iran is digging up zionist spies to hang thanks to articles like this?

That's just awesome - our so-called "democratic representatives" keep on giving a supposedly lame-duck, unpopular president every little thing he wants. I'm beginning to think voting is a joke.

Edit: Voting this article up on the "greatest" threads would not be a joke. ;)


Did you think there is a connection to this Iranian news story ? Ali Ashitari kinda has the look of a spy sitting there.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=635_1214829574

The 45 yr old electronic merchant sold out the Islamic Republic for $$$.

That fits the profile.


I'm sure it's a coincidence the NYTimes weekend article and the above



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BldWP-V2ve8&

Note the comment made at the one minute mark

[bdamomma]

65. Cheney is the key player in all of this

His a$$ should be impeached.