IRAN's Covert Actions in IRAQ

Washington Times ^ | April 25, 2004 | Constantine C. Menges

[nuconvert]

On April 4, 2004, Sheik Muqtada al-Sadr, a pro-Iranian Iraqi cleric, called on his followers to "terrorize your enemy," meaning the Americans and all those Iraqis cooperating to bring about a constitutional government.

This led tens of thousands of the cleric's armed and unarmed followers to attack U.S. and Coalition forces in four Iraqi cities. This was a preview of the violence and turmoil Iranian covert action could inflict in the coming months.

[nuconvert]

Iran views as the future religious leader of Iraq Ayatollah Al Haeri, an Iraqi cleric who has lived in Iran for the last 30 years and who, when Baghdad was liberated last year, issued an edict telling Iraqi clergy not to cooperate with the United States.

Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq - has an Iranian-trained and -armed paramilitary group of about 30,000. Both the political and the armed wings began moving from Iran into Iraq in March 2003. Iran also funds the Dawa Party. Leaders of both these Iran-linked parties are on the Iraqi Governing Council.

Iran is working covertly with Iraqi extremist Sheik al-Sadr to use political and coercive means, including murder, to intimidate and take over Iraq's Shi'ite leadership.

(4) Hezbollah, the Iranian-supported and often -directed terrorist organization has moved hundreds of cadres into Iraq as reported since last November. They along with Hamas, another Iranian-supported terrorist organization, have opened offices in Iraq and are recruiting Iraqis to be the foot soldiers and suicide killers in the massive terrorist attacks planned against U.S. and coalition forces. Iran is most likely to order these to begin fully after the planned July 1, 2004, turnover of civil authority to the Iraqis. It also is quite likely Iran will use its links with Hezbollah and al Qaeda to facilitate major terrorist attacks inside the United States this summer and fall to try to force the U.S. out of Iraq and increase the odds of an electoral defeat of President Bush.

Iran is the source of 33 of 59 AM broadcasts and of 41 of 63 AM/FM/TV broadcasts heard in Iraq.

[nuconvert]

"The best defense against Iranian destabilization of Iraq is helping Iran's people to politically liberate themselves from their dictatorship.
"... more than 75 percent of Iranians completely reject the extremist Shi'ite clerical regime that is perceived as very corrupt and a total economic failure."

[JeeperFreeper]

Iran is no doubt up to its eyeballs in the terror there. But I'm sure a strongly worded press release from coalition headquarters or hollow threats will scare them straight. Such tactics have worked so well in Fallujah and Najaf.

[freedom44]

very concise and well written.

[xzins]

It was no accident that Iran was highlighted by the President as one of the 3 Evil Regimes along with Iraq and N. Korea. It has long been a well-known fact that Iran has been the major supporter of terrorism in the Mid-East. If it is true that anyone who aids or abets terrorism is as guilty as is the terrorist, then it is also true that Iran MUST BE on the list to be removed.

Already, we have Iran squeezed between the 2 borders of Afghanistan and Iraq and the Persian Gulf which our navy controls.

It is inevitable in the war against islamo-fascism's design to conquer the world, that Iran be conquered.

As soon as the first obvious and provably Iranian inspired attack occurs within Iraq against Americans, it is time a cruise message was sent to the leadership of Iran. Decapitation might provoke revolution.

If you play in the big leagues, you play hardball.

[b4its2late]

Talk to democrats about the mid east and you won't believe your ears.......

[nuconvert]

Iran Pong

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[McGavin999]

Al Hurra is growing rapidly as a favorite source and is opening up numerious local TV stations throughout Iraq.

The Shiia held local elections just before April and the Islamist party was soundly defeated. That is one of the reasons Sadar decided to come out into the open, it became evident the Iraqis would never elect them into power.

The Mad Mullahs seem to think the Iraqi people haven't noticed how unhappy the Iranians are with their government. One of the things the pilgrams say to them when they come to the holy sites is "whatever you do, don't put the mullahs into power". The Iraqis have listened.

[genefromjersey]

I imagine a strongly worded admonition from the President would have about as much effect as composing an indignant letter to the editor of The NY Times.