I'm sure that most of you have heard about the allegations by the Bush (mal)Administration of evil-doings on the part of Iran. The Neocons have been trying to blame some of the attacks on US troops as being carried out with weapons (shaped charges used in IED's) that were made in Iran. There are a few reality-based problems with these charges and, apparently, even some of the Bushies are having trouble swallowing this one.
LA Times:
WASHINGTON — Bush administration officials acknowledged Friday that they had yet to compile evidence strong enough to back up publicly their claims that Iran is fomenting violence against U.S. troops in Iraq.
Gee whiz, I wonder why? Maybe because the claims are, in fact, lies?
"The truth is, quite frankly, we thought the briefing overstated, and we sent it back to get it narrowed and focused on the facts," national security advisor Stephen J. Hadley said Friday.
Truth? Facts? Wow, I didn't know Hadley even knew those words existed.
More after the flip...
These claims have always seemed as reality-based as, well, BushCo's old Iraq-WMD claims, and we all know how well that worked out for them. Hadley wants truth and facts? I say bring 'em onTM.
Let's take a look at few facts concerning the idea that Iran is helping the Iraqi insurgents:
- The government of Iran is primarily Shi'ite.
- The government of Iraq is primarily Shi'ite.
- A large bloc of the government of Iraq, SCIRI (Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution In Iraq) spent a few decades in Iran while Saddam was in power in Iraq. They are buddies with Iran.
- SCIRI even has its own militia, the Badr Corps. Please note that the Badr Corps, like the Mahdi Army (al Sadr's militia), are not insurgents. They do not, in general, attack the government or US forces.
- The great majority of IED's employed to attack US forces are placed by Sunni insurgents. These Sunni insurgents also attack elements of the Iraqi government. The Sunnis and the Shi'ites in don't get along with each other very well.
Got that? Iran=Shi'ite. Iraq Government=Shi'ite. Militias=Shi'ite. All buddies (okay, mostly buddies).
Insurgents=Sunni. Not buddies with the above. Not buddies with the US. Do indeed use IED's against US forces.
In what alternate universe is it that BushCo thinks that Iran gives weapons to the enemies (the Iraqi insurgents) of their good buddies (the Iraqi government and militias)? Probably the same one in which Iraq is now a neocon's wet dream of unbridled capitalism and democracy.
Of course, the guy in charge of US "intelligence" can't just come right out ans say that the allegations are pure bullshit, since he might just get his ass fired. So he hems and haws:
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates seemed to concede Friday that U.S. officials can't say for sure whether the Iranian government is involved in assisting the attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq.
"I don't know that we know the answer to that question," Gates said.
Sounds like one of Rumsfeld's "unknown knowns" to me.
Apparently the glory days of 2003 are still on the minds of a few:
In particular, officials worried about a repetition of former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell's February 2003 U.N. appearance to present the U.S. case against Iraq. In that speech, Powell cited evidence that was later discredited.
In rejecting the case compiled against Iran, senior U.S. officials, including Hadley, Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, confirmed Friday that they were concerned about possible inaccuracies.
I would quote more but I won't, so you'll have to go over to the article at the LA Times to read the rest, which I hope you do. It's not fair use that keeps me from quoting more, since the article is rather long and includes other interesting things. I'm not quoting more because quoting the ridiculous lies coming from neocons' mouths is frankly embarrassing. I am embarrassed before the entire world that these losers are in charge of our government.