About time Israel takes care of it's business.
Posted on 02/13/2008 1:14:43 PM PST by kress
WASHINGTON – While Israel has formally refuted allegations it was involved in the assassination of Hizbullah 'operations officer' Imad Mugniyah in Damascus on Tuesday, former CIA official Bruce Riedel says all signs seem to indicate the Mossad was behind the killing.
Riedel, who spent over 30 years with the CIA before serving as a senior advisor on South Asian and Middle East affairs under three US presidents, said Israel has already carried out similar operations in Syria
Currently a senior fellow with the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institute, he says Mugniyah's assassination proves Israel has successfully infiltrated Hizbullah and that even Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah knows he may also be in the crosshairs.
"Israeli intelligence services have motive and they have proven their ability to strike in Damascus in the past. This is a significant operation, whether or not the Israelis want to publicly admit to it. He (Mugniyah) has topped the US and Israel's most-wanted list for a quarter of a century," said Riedel.
The seasoned intelligence official said he believes Mugniyah was not the only name on a possible hit list. "It definitely includes Hassan Nasrallah," he said, "the Mossad is looking for Nasrallah and he knows it, that's why he conducts his operations from underground."
And the Hizbullah leader may have good reason to worry, said Riedel. "He's wondering who tipped off Mugniyah's location. That same individual could also reveal his own whereabouts."
When asked if the United States did not also have a stake in seeing the elimination of a man responsible for the deaths of American citizens, among them a senior CIA figure, Riedel said that while it was true Mugniyah was responsible for the murder of William Buckley "and that as far as we're concerned, he was second only to Osama bin-Laden" – a car bombing was more consistent with the Mossad's modus operandi.
"In all honesty over the years we've become busy with many other issues, while ever since the summer of 2006 Hizbullah has returned to the forefront of Israel's concerns. Mugniyah also acted as a go-between with Iranian intelligence and Hamas."
Whether it was the Mossad or the CIA or the Little Sisters of the Poor, I’m glad the SOB is scattered all over Damascus!
I worry about the retaliation.
About time Israel takes care of it's business.
If it is the Mossad, then could be “big” news. Or at least it will be.
I’m betting it was his own group, his actions or even existence was becoming too much a problem for them. So they blow him up and then blame Israel and/or US.
Those bastards will kill whether we get them first or not. Kill all of them and let God sort it out.
I’m not seeing a downside to this story at all.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
That's just a more verbose version of my "So?"
Good. Now I know where to send the “thank you” card.
Good for Mossad. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Leave it to a former CIA official to open their yap.
Yeah, well Mugniyah now knows that revenge is a dish best served expansively.
If Mossad had did it, they wouldn’t deny it. They are very much an “in your face” outfit. Great guys and gals. I wish our CIA had half the ‘nads.
Yeah. Don’t take 25 years on this guy...
Was an attorney present ?
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