[Cicero]

The Foreign Office is expected to use the findings to step up diplomatic pressure on the Iranian government, which has been asked to crack down on units within its defence and security services believed to be supplying weapons and bomb-making technology to insurgents in Iraq.

Which is to say that they are following the same line as General Peter Pace: We don't know if the Iranian government is responsible, or "rogue elements." A good way out if you don't want to fight back. And nice ammunition for the peaceniks.

[holden]

What evidence is there of "rogue element" activity elsewhere in the recent past from Iran? Assuming for a moment there is some such evidence, would it be more comparable to the CIA black ops than to French Foreign Legionnaires?

That is in part to ask, are Iranian military elements with access and wherewithal to carry out the missile shoot-down of a low-flying, five-person British Wing Commander's helicopter over Basrah likely to be "rogue" or likely "undocumented foreign fighters?"

(Can one find truly "rogue element" activity from the US military since "Kelly's Heroes," outside the CIA?)

HF