WhoDaresWins
Posted on 10/20/2007 6:38:29 PM PDT by camerakid400
BRITISH special forces have crossed into Iran several times in recent months as part of a secret border war against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Al-Quds special forces, defence sources have disclosed.
There have been at least half a dozen intense firefights between the SAS and arms smugglers, a mixture of Iranians and Shi’ite militiamen.
The unreported fighting straddles the border between Iran and Iraq and has also involved the Iranian military firing mortars into Iraq. UK commanders are concerned that Iran is using a militia ceasefire to step up arms supplies in preparation for an offensive against their base at Basra airport.
An SAS squadron is carrying out operations along the Iranian border in Maysan and Basra provinces with other special forces, the Australian SAS and American special-operations troops.
Related Links Iraq’s ousted corruption buster seeks US asylum Ruling Shia parties linked to smuggling of terrorists from Iran They are patrolling the border, ambushing arms smugglers bringing in surface-to-air missiles and components for roadside bombs. “Last month, they were involved in six significant contacts, which killed 17 smugglers and recovered weapons, explosives and missiles,” a source said. It was not clear if any of the dead were Iranian.
Last week, Bob Ainsworth, the armed forces minister, said the Ministry of Defence was unable to say whether British troops had killed or captured any Iranians in Iraq. The ministry declined to comment, but privately officials insisted British troops never carry out hot pursuit across the border.
There have been persistent reports of American special-operations missions inside Iran preparing for a possible attack. But the sources said British troops were solely stopping arms smuggling.
The fighting comes amid an increase in US and British intelligence operations against Iran. Britain’s forces have more than 70 Farsi experts monitoring Iranian communications, and the intelligence is shared with the United States.
Seven American U2 spy planes have passed through RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire this year on their way to Akrotiri in Cyprus or Al-Dhafra in Abu Dhabi, the bases for flights over Iran.
The Al-Quds force has been increasing its arms supplies to both the Shi’ite militias in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Officially, Britain has been careful not to blame the Iranian government.
But senior British officials have confirmed to The Sunday Times that it would not happen without the backing of the Iranian leadership.
They pointed out that Gen Qassem Suleimani, the head of the Al-Quds force, has direct access to Ayatollah Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran
Liam Fox, the Conservative defence spokesman, said: “Increasingly Iran poses a direct threat to our armed forces and our wider interests . . . they are playing a very dangerous game.”
Nail them!
Something for the pinglist.
Ping.
Gods Speed gentlemen, and good hunting. You have my sincere respect and gratitude.
Go get em.
‘Bout time. The best way to fight terrorism is with (drumroll)..terrorism.
WhoDaresWins
Why the hell is this in the damned news media? I know exactly why....anything they can do to help lose in the middle east is their goal. Its not President Bush who enjoys seeing Americans and Brits killed in combat, its the American and British media.
ping
Yep. The media needs lots of dead Americans to make their point.
But I really hate it when talk of the comings and goings of units such as SAS get out into the public domain.
This skirmishing may be the prelude to the main event.
It is long over due. But why the he11 is this on an open forum/internet?
No matter, the excrement is going to hit the oscillator soon...very soon.
I'd like to see an empty tube on an Ohio class SSBN...no, never mind, I didn't type that...
5.56mm
I understand and appreciate your sentiment, but the SAS are anything but terrorists. They are as brave and tough as any who tread this planet.
Little is said about what they and their Aussie brethren do, and for good reason. Few would believe it anyway.
The SAS is worthy of any mans respect. Terrorists (and Iranian weapons smugglers) are nothing but slimy-bellied two legged cockroaches.
I have a feeling the Iranians already know about this.
Here we go....the clock is ticking...time is close at hand...
WAY TO GO...BRITS... ;o)
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