Sadr's Mahdi Army was backed by extensive foreign fighters and a huge amount support. Iran's formidable Al-Quds Army (named for the conquest of Jerusalem, Israel) directly assisted their attacks against us. They trained some 1,200 of Sadr's fighters at three camps they ran along the Iran-Iraq border at Qasr Shireen, 'Ilam, and Hamid. This was backed by what one Iranian defector to us has said was $70 million dollars a month given by Iranian agents to our enemies -- from which Sadr's forces were directly funded in just the past few months by up to $80 million more. The Iranian Embassy distributed some 400 satellite phones in Baghdad to Sadr's forces, while 2,700 apartments and rooms were rented in Karbala and Najaf as safe houses. Sadr's ability to influence the Iraqi people was further enhanced by 300 "reporters" and "technicians" working for his newspaper, radio and television networks -- persons who are actually members of the Al-Quds Army and Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards.
If they know where these training camps are, why don't they blow them up? Why isn't the Administration and/or State doing more to bring pressure on Iran for their support? Or if they are - and it's not working - why not do more in relation to Iran?
I think you know the answers to your own questions, but here's my opinion on what you asked:
1. Politically it is impossible right now to do to Iran what needs to be done. Just look to your left, and thank them for stopping us in the WOT. Better to finish what we started in Iraq completely and then move to Iran.
2. State hasn't actually accomplished anything at all since its' inception. It's called Foggy Bottom for a reason.
3. Lastly, about Iran again - the administration is doing many things in international circles in an attempt to avoid the huge loss of civilians that a military response would entail. Preferably, we'd just arm the students and let them take care of the mullahs. The pressure being used right now on Iran is through the UN. (Like they are effective?)
4. Those training camps are inside Iran, making them a less than easy set of targets to hit. See #1 above.
It's hard waging a PC war when you really can't kill anyone because the enemy and the UN and most of Europe wouldn't like it.
In due time. Right now, we have Iran surrounded on two sides with forward operating bases.
IMO....We're gonna aid and abet the large segment of Iranians that want the mullahs gone.
Curious that the Army is allowing a Specialist to post a muli-page press release linked to the National Center for Public Policy Research. Also odd that it is filled with 'facts' regarding Iranian involvement which have no reference or verification. For example, how would a Specialist know that there were 400 phone or 2700 rooms rented out by Iran (especially when it seems the bulk of the fighters slept in the cemeteries). Also the exactness of monetary funds from Iran and so on are curious. I guess Iran sent this specialist a bank statement. Its also odd that if they had so much money from Iran that Sadrs men were robbing locals for food and shelter. Again, very odd this specialist is issuing press releases to political action groups. Trust but verify on this one.
Imagine what happens post-June 30 if Iran continues to meddle in Iraqi affairs? The Iraqis will make their complaints in public and to the U.N. All of a sudden the complaints will gain credibility, and the U.N. will be forced to address the issue.
This provides the U.S. with the necessary justification to increase pressure on Iran. And should the U.S. determine that military force is necessary it will have the acknowledgement, if not the approval, that action is justified.