Posted on 01/27/2005 2:56:37 AM PST by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
USAF playing cat and mouse game over Iran
Richard Sale, UPI Intelligence Correspondent:The U.S. Air Force is playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Iran's ayatollahs, flying American combat aircraft into Iranian airspace in an attempt to lure Tehran into turning on air defense radars, thus allowing U.S. pilots to grid the system for use in future targeting data, administration officials said.
"We have to know which targets to attack and how to attack them," said one, speaking on condition of anonymity. ...
"These Iranian air defense positions are not just being observed, they're being 'templated,'" an administration official said, explaining that the flights are part of a U.S. effort to develop "an electronic order of battle for Iran" in case of actual conflict. ...
A serving U.S. intelligence official added: "You need to know what proportion of your initial air strikes are going to have to be devoted to air defense suppression." ...
Ellen Laipson, president and CEO of the Henry L. Stimson Center and former CIA Middle East expert, said of the flights, "They are not necessarily an act of war in themselves, unless they are perceived as being so by the country that is being overflown."
Laipson explained: "It's not unusual for countries to test each other's air defenses from time to time, to do a little probing -- but it can be dangerous if the target country believes that such flights could mean an imminent attack."
She said her concern was that Iran "will not only turn on its air defense radars but use them to fire missiles at U.S. aircraft," an act which would "greatly increase tensions" between the two countries. ...
"They've been active in the south for some time," said former CIA counterterrorism chief, Vince Cannistraro.
The MEK are said to be currently launching raids from Camp Habib in Basra, butrecently Pakistan President Pervez Musharaff granted permission for the MEK to operate from Pakistan's Baluchi area, U.S. officials said. ...
A former senior Iranian diplomat told United Press International that the Kurds in the Baluchi areas of Pakistan can operate in freedom because the Baluchis "have no love for the mullahs of Iran." ...
In addition to the air strikes on allegedly Iranian nuclear weapons sites, the second aim of the operation is to secure the support in Iran of those "who view U.S. policy of hostility towards Iran's clerics with favor," he said.
The United States is also attempting to erect a covert infrastructure in Iranable to support U.S. efforts, this source said. It consists of Israelis and other U.S. assets, using third country passports, who have created a network of front companies that they own and staff. "It's a covert infrastructure for material support," a U.S. administration official said.
The network would be able to move money, weapons and personnel around inside Iran, he said. The covert infrastructure could also provide safe houses and the like, he said. ...
So the United States, backed by Israel, is deadly earnest about neutralizing Iran's nuclear weapons site. "The administration has determined that there is no diplomatic solution," said John Pike, president of the online think-tank globalsecurity.org. ...
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LOL I say we "probe" a little harder. God Bless a Free Iran!
Freedom...
Bump!
The only thing I don't wanna see is the US-MEK cooperation.
They are a terrorist group.
"The administration has determined that there is no diplomatic solution," said John Pike, president of the online think-tank globalsecurity.org. ...
I hope that's what the mullahs think Bush thinks. And I hope there is a face saving way for them to back down if they don't want to get bombed.
If brinksmanship won't get them to back down, nothing short of JDAMs will.
It is going to get increasingly hard for this country to fight any war as long as we have news sources providing spy services for foreign countries.
Ol' Vince must have a cell phone embedded in his skull- he never misses a chance to talk to the press.
can we all say "stealth" together...give bombing a chance.
How long has this been going on...days?
Hear's to the growing strength of freedom around the world.
ping
I have heard reports from Iranian pilots in Iran that they were told to shot down any hostile object in the Iranian sky.
The war between Iran and the US is the last thing I want to see. That is so hard to choose between the US and Iran for the people of Iran.
Afghans, Iran linked by new road, divided by U.S.
27 Jan 2005
Source: Reuters
By Saeed Haqiqi
ISLAM QALA, Afghanistan, Jan 27 (Reuters) - The presidents of Afghanistan and Iran opened a new road between their countries on Thursday amid hopes that an increase in trade would improve their uneasy relationship.
Tehran has been unsettled by Afghanistan's close ties to its arch foe the United States, its massive output of drugs and a recent report has even suggested that U.S. special forces have entered Iran from Afghanistan to search for nuclear sites.
Thousands of U.S.-led troops remain in Afghanistan, three years after they helped oust the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime from power for harbouring Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on U.S. cities.
Still, all talk at the official opening of the 122-km (76-mile), $60-million road, paid for by Iran, was of brotherly ties and forging friendship. Most of Afghanistan's imports come through Iran, and the new, paved road should lead to a surge in trade.
"Afghanistan belongs to the people of Afghanistan and Iran desires a stable, modern and free Afghanistan," said Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.
"The reconstruction of Afghanistan will first of all benefit the oppressed people of Afghanistan and then its neighbouring countries," said Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who was handpicked by Washington to lead the country after the ouster of the Taliban.
The presence of 18,000 U.S. troops, including special forces, in Afghanistan, some of them close to the Iranian border, can be little comfort for Iran's leaders.
Since 2001, Iran has seen U.S. forces enter Afghanistan to its east and then Iraq to its west, and been accused by President George W. Bush of being part of an "axis of evil".
The United States is now piling pressure on the Islamic Republic, accusing it of trying to build a nuclear arsenal, aiding Iraqi insurgents and backing "terrorist" groups.
"You look around the world at potential trouble spots, Iran is right at the top of the list," U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said last week.
An article in The New Yorker magazine this month said the United States was launching secret reconnaissance missions in Iran from Afghanistan to help identify potential nuclear, chemical and missile targets.
Iran ridiculed the report from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh and the Pentagon denied it, but the presence of Karzai's burly American bodyguards at the border can only have served as a reminder of the gulf between the neighbours in their relations with the world's strongest military power.
Nevertheless, analysts said Iran and Afghanistan both had too much to lose by letting that get in the way of relations with each other.
"A collection of common interests and fears push Iran and Afghanistan to become friendlier with each other," said Iranian analyst Saeed Leylaz.
Iran fears the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, while Kabul fears Tehran might stir up instability inside its borders by assisting Islamic militants, he said.
"Iran tries to avoid any conflict with America in Afghanistan and Afghanistan tries not to harm Iran because of al Qaeda," he said. (Additional reporting by Parisa Hafezi in TEHRAN)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL112885.htm
Iran won't dismantle nuclear program
From correspondents in Malaysia
27jan05
Herald Sun, Australia
IRAN has vowed it will never dismantle its uranium enrichment program, a day after a confidential European Union document showed France, Britain and Germany had told Tehran they would not settle for anything less.
Iran has temporarily frozen its enrichment program, a process of purifying uranium for use as fuel in nuclear power plants or weapons, but insists atomic fuel production is a sovereign right it will never abandon.
Asked whether Iran would dismantle the program, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Gholamali Khoshroo, who is visiting Malaysia for a meeting of the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference, replied: "Never".
"For what reason? We are not terrified by the US.
"We have had this kind of relations with the US for 25 years. We don't want to upgrade tension with US, but we want to live as a sovereign country and nobody has the right to threaten others."
Iran says its atomic ambitions are strictly peaceful, but Washington believes it has a covert atomic weapons program and warned last week that military force was an option it would not rule out to stop Tehran from getting the bomb.
Mr Khoshroo accused the US of attempting to disrupt his country's talks with the EU.
"We are not living in the jungle, we are living in accordance with international law," he said.
"In accordance with international law, those who have force should not use it unless legitimacy by the international community is given to them.
"America wanted to put pressure on the EU not to continue negotiations (with Iran)."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, has been investigating Tehran's nuclear program for more than two years.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei says he has found no clear evidence of a nuclear weapons program in Iran.
An EU document seen by Reuters in Vienna yesterday summarised this month's talks between the European Union's "big three" (the EU3) and Iran.
It said there was no economic justification for the enrichment program, especially since Russia agreed to provide Tehran with fuel for the Russian-built Bushehr power plant.
"Iran recognises explicitly that its fuel cycle program cannot be justified on economic grounds," the document said.
In Vienna, diplomats said the lack of economic justification was a key reason why EU3 officials generally agreed with the US view that Iran's nuclear ambitions were not entirely peaceful.
In Malaysia, the Iranian minister said there were no legal grounds for the demand that his country halt its nuclear activities.
"What is the legal basis for any request to relinquish all our activities?" Mr Khoshroo said.
"The US is upset Iran is cooperating with the IAEA and Iran's activities have been peaceful.
"The US is not happy Iran's relationships with Asia and Islamic countries are developing. We are playing a peaceful role.
"The US is using extra force to overshadow the emergence of Iran as a stabiliser and as a strong country with good relationship with the west and the east."
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12071809%255E1702,00.html
Who would have thought the World Peace Herald, or UPI, would have such informative and talkative connections in the military intelligence community?
Does the average Iranian really see this as a "choice between Iran and the US"? I don't want to see a war between the US and anybody. Any sane soul would desire peace if at all possible. And I certainly understand the love any Iranian would have for their country. Any citizen should. BUT when a country has leaders who are sending out terrorists (weapons, etc) who desire to FORCE all folks everywhere to become muslim or die, then that "cancer" will affect the whole world unless surgery is performed.
I love my country too, but if my leaders were supporting, and sponsoring these terrorists who blow up innocent folks, including babies, I would do EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER to bring that leadership down, even if it meant losing my life in doing so. This is why the US is even over in Iraq. We saw the same type of evil trying to take over the world in WWII. Evil is evil, and a little evil, unchecked by good men, will (like a cancer) take over and destroy the entire world. What good is one's "homeland" if it has become a hell? Where is any "love or pride" in that? I'm sure many Germans struggled with the same feelings during Hitler's reign. If the people of Iran are trying to choose between the US and Iran, then they haven't seen the full truth yet. It wasn't a choice between Hitler and England. If Hitler had died of a heart attack one morning, a "second in command" would have taken his place, and hell would've gone on just the same. Shall Iran's MAD MULLAH's win this battle so that all the world can live as Iranians do now? I'd rather be dead.
It is past time for the precious souls in Iran to rise up against their own leaders as ONE or the world (just like in WWII) will have to do it themselves, and it won't be pretty, sigh. May God have mercy on us all.
"Freedom..."YES "Freedom" is good!!!! started Wegry 1956 Czechoslowacja 1968, Poland 1970,1979 Jan Pawel II,1981 America strong President Ronald Reagan help, 1989 itp... you do know what I write America good friend Today is Irak, tomorrow Iran is free Thank you
Michael Ledeen Communicates with Iranians
SMCCDI (Information Service )
Jan 26, 2005, 01:30
http://www.daneshjoo.org/publishers/currentnews/article_456.shtml
Through the combined latest digital technology of the Internet and Satellite television, many in Iran and abroad discussed President Bush's inaugural speech and relationship building issues with Dr. Michael Ledeen on Sunday January 23, 2005. The organization, hosting and translation support was provided by the "Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran" (SMCCDI).
A prominent scholar and the Human Rights Chairperson of the Washington DC based "American Enterprise Institute" (AEI), Michael Ledeen communicated with Iranians around the World through PALTALK.COM and X-TV. The virtual meeting room was provided by PALTALK.COM and the worldwide live satellite broadcasting was made by X-TV which is a division of SOSIRAN.COM. Several hundred Iranians in Iran and abroad gathered to listen to Mr. Ledeen's comments and answers while thousands more followed the live program by watching their televisions.
Dr. Ledeen is the author of several books and a multitude of articles on Islamic tyranny and terror, and Iran's freedom movement. Many Iranians do believe of him as one of their main supporters and most of his articles, on Iran and the plight of Iranians, have been translated and distributed by underground networks.
Focusing on Iran-US relations and the Bush Administration's moral support of Iranian secularists seeking an end to the illegitimate rule of the Islamic regime the interactive discussions were very informative.
Simultaneous voice translation was made for any non-English speaking in the audience by SMCCDI's Coordinator Aryo B. Pirouznia who was also the moderator and was assisted by several colleagues. Several Iranians living in Iran defied the Islamic regime's intelligence services and monitors by participating in discussions with Dr. Ledeen, while others sent e-mails to be read during the session.
The program started at 22:00 (Iran local time = 01:30 PM US EST) with the broadcast of the "Ey Iran!" (Oh Iran!) the banned Iranian National Anthem. Interestingly, popular opposition interest in "Ey Iran!" has resulted in the Islamic regime's official media to start to play this song while avoiding any kind of national value. With President George W. Bush's 2nd Inaugural speech broadcasted for the audience as a backdrop a Persian translated version was initially read to the audience.
After being introduced, Dr. Ledeen proceeded to focus on America's promise of liberty and freedom for all mankind, and its' support of Iranians while praising the US President's "Freedom Speech." Emphasizing that the Bush Administration is determined to create conditions for a non-military regime change in Iran and that America will not let the Iranians down in their quest for putting an end to the Islamic rule of tyranny and terror. Specifically, he, Dr. Ledeen, added that the Bush Administration will back the Iranians when they collectively demand their freedom and democratic rights. Emphasizing that a real and well-planned internationally monitored referendum must take place in Iran, so as to avoid any chance that the current regime might subvert this popular aspiration. Expanding further, Dr.Ledeen stated, "all conditions must be met before a referendum wished by Iranians and accepted by them can take place in Iran."
Continuing, Dr. Ledeen said, "in the weeks ahead and as outlined in the President's great speech, Iranians will witness increased support and a firm policy against today's rulers of Iran. There are at this time propositions in discussion in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to generate a law for regime change in Iran by empowering its' people and opposition groups." he added.
An active verbal question and answer (Q&A) session with participants, who were chosen at random, took place until the end of the program which ended at midnight (Iranian time = 03:30 PM US EST). Questions, or comments received by E-mail and FAX were read to Dr. Ledeen with his responses being sent back by SMCCDI's members.
While the absolute majority of participants endorsed the Bush administration in its policy against the Islamic republic, several expressed concerns of a U.S. military attack, or invasion of Iran. Categorically rejecting that any type of U.S. military strike, or invasion of Iran will occur, Dr. Ledeen stated: "no such thing is on Washington's agenda." "No one in Washington would like to do so and, while such an option must stay on table, no one wants to do this. We do, however, believe that Iranians will be able to free Iran by themselves".
Other participants asked about rumors of a covert American effort to fragment the country as meaningless independentist groups have started to become active in recent months. This problem which helps the Islamic regime's propaganda machine is worrying many Iranians while such phenomenon is also existing in some European countries and even in the State of Texas. The American scholar responded with by saying: "The U.S. is not using such a tactic and we do not seek the splitting of Iran."
One participant asked about secret business deals between some U.S. companies, like Halliburton, and the Islamic regime. Ledeen responded by stating : "what has happened is against U.S. laws, it is disgusting and the people involved in this transaction must be put in jail, according to American law."
Several other questions were asked by participants about the possibility of American financial support of Iranian workers and opposition groups to increase the Iranian civil disobedience movement. Dr. Ledeen answered with " I've made the proposal to U.S. and European Worker Syndicates to help their Iranian colleagues. Purpose of the effort is to provide funding to workers so that they can provide for their families when they shut down the regime's industrial machine. As mentioned earlier, a senatorial resolution named "Santorum-Cornyn" has been introduced and a law should be voted for the financial support of opposition groups and media by the American Congress."
The Sunday's event has been the subject of many talks in Iran and among the Iranian Diaspora. It seems to have been able to contribute a little more to the increasing friendship of Iranians toward Americans and the build up of a bridge of trust toward the Bush Administration.
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