Taliban caught with Iranian rocket shipment, say diplomats
The Guardian / julian borger
09-Mar-2011 (3 comments)

Nato troops in Afghanistan have intercepted an Iranian shipment of rockets to the Taliban that would have allowed them to double the range of their attacks, western diplomats have said.

Markings had been removed on most but not all of the rockets. They had a green fuse plug, supposedly unique to Iranian-made rockets.

"There are at least elements of the Iranian regime who are determined to make life difficult for us," a European diplomat said. "We have always suspected that there was a flow of arms, but we can never be sure how much of it we are find and how much we are missing."

 

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FG

Should US return the favor?

by FG on Wed Mar 09, 2011 08:05 AM PST

The old sayings goes, "Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander" and "People in glass houses shouldn't thrown stones." 

There is no doubt Iran shipped sophisticated IEDs to Al Sadr's Al-Mahdi army in Iraq earlier, as well as training Al Mahdi militia.   Al Sadr is another Khamenei type with similar ambitions.   In one case, it is believed several Americans were seized, taken an across the border, interrogated by Al Qods types, then murdered.   Dooon't forget the previous Iranian-planned attacks on US troops in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

LET'S HEAR FROM SOME FOLKS

1. Does anyone believe any regime's denials, given its past track record re: external behavior, domestic honesty? 

2. Is the US entitled to return these favors or not? 

3. Should it do so? 

4. In that case should attacks be confined to basilj, hard-line clerics and politicians and known and identified plainclothes thugs?

5.  If the US does retaliate, does Khamenei's regime have any right to complain?

My own feelings are ambiguous.   My main negative: I don't want to see a civil war or give the regime a chance to crack down more violently.  On the other hand, I don't believe the Khamenei regime should get off scott free.  Otherrwise why should it not continue with no price to pay?  If there is a price to pay, will it modify its behavior--being so vulnerable?   

If some people have had enough and decide to act, I'd recommend they avoid targeting rank and file troops or police which would only force them to unify around the thugocracy.  There are millions of discontented people in Iran.    You would be surprised at much a half-dozen US special forces can teach a group of civilians in just a 24 hours.

NOTE: You are on The Guardian site, check out "Brian Whitaker's best blogs and analysis of the day" located just to the right of the article and slightly down the page.



Balatarin
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Bavafa

FG: Don't interpret my comment as a defense for IRI, it is not

by Bavafa on Wed Mar 09, 2011 11:25 AM PST

Having said that, such favors and counter favors between IRI and USA has been going on for a long time, 32 years to be exact, and neither miss opportunity to counter. So if we are to condemn such violent and terrorist act we ought to do it for both sides if we want to stay clear of hypocrisy.

In case of Iraq, Iran is doing exact same thing as USA did in Afghanistan with Mujahedeen. Likewise the whole presence of USA in Iraq is criminal action and must be condemned so it can not be repeated by yet another criminal regime such as IRI.

Mehrdad


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FG

Iran prosecutor threatens emigres abroad

by FG on Wed Mar 09, 2011 08:56 AM PST


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