Iran is training anti-American Iraqi Shi'ites

[PackerfanXD]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran is training anti-American Iraqi Shi'ites at sites inside Iran and Lebanon in the use of armor-piercing munitions blamed for the deaths of 170 U.S. troops in Iraq, the top U.S. intelligence official said on Tuesday.


In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, newly installed U.S. intelligence chief Mike McConnell said it was "probable" that Iranian leaders including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were aware that weapons known as explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, had been supplied to Iraqi Shi'ites.

But McConnell, in his first congressional testimony as the U.S. director of national intelligence, stopped short of saying Iran was directing the EFP attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq.

"We know there are Iranian weapons manufactured in Iran. We know that Quds Forces (of Iran's Revolutionary Guards) are bringing them (into Iraq)," McConnell said at a panel hearing on world threats facing the United States.

"Is there a direct link from Quds Forces delivering weapons, to the most senior leadership in Iran?" he said. "I would phrase it as 'probable' but, again, no direct link ... I am comfortable saying it's probable."

McConnell took over the intelligence chief's job a week ago to replace John Negroponte, who is now deputy secretary of state.

Under questioning by Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Independent, McConnell tersely acknowledged that the United States has evidence showing that Iran is training Iraqi Shi'ites to use EFPs at sites outside Iraq.

"And some of that training is occurring in Iran?" asked Lieberman.

"Yes, sir," McConnell replied.

"I've heard reports that some may be occurring in Lebanon in Hezbollah training camps," Lieberman said.

"We believe Hezbollah is involved in the training as well," McConnell answered.

IRANIAN DENIAL

Tehran denies any role in supplying the arms, and other U.S. officials including President George W. Bush have said the United States cannot prove complicity by Iran's leaders.

"If Iran is training Iraqi militants in the use of Iranian weapons which are then being used to kill Americans in Iraq, I think that's a very serious act and one that we ought to consider taking steps to stop," Lieberman said.

Republican Sen. John Warner (news, bio, voting record) of Virginia added: "They are among the most lethal weapons, rendering the utilization of some of our heaviest and most vital equipment somewhat precarious."

McConnell's comments were the latest in a series of assertions by U.S. military and intelligence officials that Iran is behind the appearance of EFPS in Iraq, where the weapons have been able to pierce some of the heaviest U.S. armor.

"I don't see any direct linkage from Iran dictating events inside Iraq," McConnell told lawmakers.

"Now that said, the fact that Iran could contribute weapons -- particularly the weapons that can penetrate armored vehicles and so on -- raises the cost to the United States. So I do believe there's a connection."

Other intelligence officials including Army Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said Iran's ambitions in the Gulf region have been emboldened by rising oil prices and the success of Hezbollah against Israel in last summer's war.

"Iran's armed forces intend to rely on asymmetric tactics using ballistic missiles, naval attacks in the restricted waters along its coasts, and possibly a strategic terror campaign," Maples said.

Iran is under pressure to abandon enrichment activities that Washington believes are aimed at developing nuclear arms, a charge Tehran denies. Bush has said repeatedly the United States is not planning a war and that he wants to resolve the issue diplomatically.

McConnell said Iran was determined to develop nuclear arms "in the next decade, more likely mid-next-decade. We would be talking 2015." He said Iran could have the ability to place a warhead on a missile within the same time frame.

The proof is in the pudding...

[PackerfanXD]

Well...I thought it was interesting...

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by PackerfanXD

Well...I thought it was interesting...

Sorry, bro...I don't think it's generating much discussion because most realistic folks don't find it really surprising. Thanks for contributing, though.

[Miguel]

We don't find it surprising, and we are not sure if the goverment will do anything effective about it.

[bd]

I don't doubt that this is happening, but on one hand you have this story and then you have the story coming out that the Bush administration is now saying they're really not even sure the North Koreans have a uranium enrichment program for the production of nuclear weapons.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/01/wa...1korea.html?hp


What the hell are we supposed to believe about anything we are told anymore about military "intelligence"?

I'm not trying to take this thread off subject. I'm just saying that I wouldn't doubt in a couple of weeks some "high ranking adminstration official" will come out and negate the story about Iran training the Shi'ites.

bd