Posted on 03/16/2015 10:17:55 PM PDT by piasa
BEIRUT: The U.S. has omitted Iran and Hezbollah from its list of terror threats, according to an annual security assessment published by the Times of Israel Monday.
The unclassified report, titled ‘Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community’ was presented to the U.S. Senate by James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence on February 26.
The report has excluded Iran and Hezbollah from its list of terror threats to U.S. interests, after both had been included as threats in previous years.
In a 2014 report the National Intelligence director said that Iran and Hezbollah continue to directly threaten the interests of U.S. allies. The report claimed that Hezbollah had increased its “global terrorist activity.”
In the latest report, the terrorism section focuses exclusively on the rise of militant groups like ISIS and The Nusra Front.
“Sunni violent extremists are gaining momentum and the number of Sunni violent extremist groups, members, and safe havens is greater than at any other point in history,” read the report. “These groups challenge local and regional governance and threaten US allies, partners, and interests.”
Hezbollah, labeled as a terrorist organization by both the U.S. and the European Union, was mentioned once.
“Sunni extremists are trying to establish networks in Lebanon and have increased attacks against Lebanese army and Hezbollah positions along the Lebanese-Syrian border,” the report said. Hezbollah and the U.S. have become de-facto allies in Syria, with the common objective of combating ISIS and preventing its spread into Lebanon.
In a rare interview with the New York Times Last September, Hezbollah’s newly appointed public relations chief, Mohammed Afif, implicitly acknowledged the rise of an indirect coordination in the fight against terror between the party and Washington, though their broader goals and views sharply diverge.
“All have an interest to keep the peace” in Lebanon, Afifi told the NYT, but added that each had its own ways to combat their common enemy.
The U.S. paper suggested that American intelligence had indirectly shared information with Hezbollah that helped the party stop suicide attacks in its stronghold in the southern suburb of Beirut.
Meanwhile, The United States and Iran are getting closer to a political deal that would set the stage for a landmark nuclear agreement.
The sides have twice extended the talks on a long-term accord. They signed an interim deal in November 2013 that gave Iran limited sanctions relief in exchange for some limitations on sensitive nuclear work.
Hillary hasn’t been SoS in a while... we’d have to access Kerry’s. ;-)
here is the Feb 26 , 2015 version
http://www.dni.gov/files/documents/Unclassified_2015_ATA_SFR_-_SASC_FINAL.pdf
it also seems to have a Iran ref ( pg 14)
Thanks!
First glance looks like the reference is identical.
Here’s the Newsweek version of the story-
Says that Iran and Hezbollah were removed from the terror section of the report, [not from the threat section, apparently.]
Pardon me, that’s the Daily Caller version not Newsweek.
The Daily Caller & Newsweek version explains the hubbub better than the Iran , Israel and Lebanon web sources.
Here’s the newsweek version link:
Expert Fears White House Deliberately ‘Whitewashing’ Iran, Hezbollah Terror Threat
March 16, 2015 7:29 pm
29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.
“Old White Guy Blues”
I got those old white guy blues
From my head down to my shoes
Seems like i might be out of time.
You say I took your stuff
Now you aint got enough
Not even one thin dime...(next verse)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.