Scott Ritter: Acts of War

[marmar]

from Truthdig:



Acts of War
Posted on Jul 29, 2008


By Scott Ritter

The war between the United States and Iran is on. American taxpayer dollars are being used, with the permission of Congress, to fund activities which result in Iranians being killed and wounded, and Iranian property destroyed. This wanton violation of a nation’s sovereignty would not be tolerated if the tables were turned and Americans were being subjected to Iranian-funded covert actions which took the lives of Americans, on American soil, and destroyed American property and livelihood. Many Americans remain unaware of what is transpiring abroad in their name. Many of those who are cognizant of these activities are supportive of them, an outgrowth of misguided sentiment which holds Iran accountable for a list of grievances used by the U.S. government to justify the ongoing global war on terror. Iran, we are told, is not just a nation pursuing nuclear weapons, but is the largest state sponsor of terror in the world today.

Much of the information behind this is being promulgated by Israel, which has a vested interest in seeing Iran neutralized as a potential threat. But Israel is joined by another source, even more puzzling in terms of its broad-based acceptance in the world of American journalism: the Mujahadeen-e Khalk, or MEK, an Iranian opposition group sworn to overthrow the theocracy in Tehran. The CIA today provides material support to the actions of the MEK inside Iran. The recent spate of explosions in Iran, including a particularly devastating “accident” involving a military convoy transporting ammunition in downtown Tehran, appears to be linked to an MEK operation; its agents working inside munitions manufacturing plants deliberately are committing acts of sabotage which lead to such explosions. If CIA money and planning support are behind these actions, the agency’s backing constitutes nothing less than an act of war on the part of the United States against Iran.

The MEK traces its roots back to the CIA-orchestrated overthrow of the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeg. Formed among students and intellectuals, the MEK emerged in the 1960s as a serious threat to the reign of Reza Shah Pahlevi. Facing brutal repression from the Shah’s secret police, the SAVAK, the MEK became expert at blending into Iranian society, forming a cellular organizational structure which made it virtually impossible to eradicate. The MEK membership also became adept at gaining access to positions of sensitivity and authority. When the Shah was overthrown in 1978, the MEK played a major role and for a while worked hand in glove with the Islamic Revolution in crafting a post-Shah Iran. In 1979 the MEK had a central role in orchestrating the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, and holding 55 Americans hostage for 444 days.

However, relations between the MEK and the Islamic regime in Tehran soured, and after the MEK staged a bloody coup attempt in 1981, all ties were severed and the two sides engaged in a violent civil war. Revolutionary Guard members who were active at that time have acknowledged how difficult it was to fight the MEK. In the end, massive acts of arbitrary arrest, torture and executions were required to break the back of mainstream MEK activity in Iran, although even the Revolutionary Guard today admits the MEK remains active and is virtually impossible to completely eradicate. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080729_acts_of_war/

[90-percent]

1. Rec

You just gotta give out a rec for one of the most heroic patriots of the dark, bleak, hopeless, lawless, corrupt and treasonous Bush years.

Keep it up, Scott. Make Paula Zahn BEG to apologize to you for her snide remark back before the Iraq War about your drinking Saddam's kool-aid!

-90% Jimmy

[nolabels]

2. The trend of Iran outlasting people who would want do it harm is well established

Before trying to pick a fight or cause a ruckus, you should at least have some idea of the situation you are dealing with. The current set of fools calling shots are obviously oblivious to that fact. No matter how hot and bothered our current western war machine gets it still doesn't look like they will get Iran to blink enough before * leaves office :nopity:

[leveymg]

3. The motive behind that is to provoke Iran into retaliating in kind.

Any direct U.S. support for terrorism inside Iran would violate the 1981 Algiers Accord. A flagrant violation of that agreement would be a major provocation. If the US is supporting terrorist bombings, it's very much at arm's length, twice-removed.

Scott's been saying war with Iran is imminent since 2004. I'm not sure he still has a lot of credibility about this.