Replies to post #7261 on Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Al-Hayat reports that [Ar.] Muqtada al-Sadr has called for greater unity with the Sunni Arabs so as to form a political front "on nationalist foundations." He also called on his followers not to join in the struggle of "foreign parties (including Iran") that are trying to settle their conflicts with the United States in Iraq."

Muqtada al-Sadr signalled that he differs from Iranian policy in Iraq. His communique said that his followers should "decline to join in any Western plots designed to steal our security and unity, whether the prime minister is Jaafari or someone else."

He added, "Do not join with foreign parties that desire to settle their accounts with America. Be responsible." Responding to charges that his Mahdi Army is cooperating with Iranian intelligence to make trouble, Al-Sadr declared, "Creating problems for this reason is forbidden, rather it is religiously prohibited (haram)." He said anyone who did not obey him on this issue is a "rebel."

Muqtada said that his refusal to obey any other party had sometimes led to political boycotts of him.

He called on the warring foreign militaries and paramilitaries in Iraq to "keep the Iraqi people far from your disputes."

He denied the charge that his Mahdi Army had attacked Sunni mosques in the aftermath of the bombing of the Golden Shrine in Samarra.

He warned that Iraqi internal disputes "must not come to serve the joint Israeli and imperial enemy."

He condemned plans to "put Shiites behind a moat" with the plan for loose federalism and for giving the Sunnis the security portfolio. This was a slam at Abdul Aziz al-Hakim. Muqtada favors a strong central government and hopes to entice the fundamentalist Sunnis into an alliance with his forces on pan-Islamic grounds.

After the United Iraqi Alliance failed yesterday in another attempt to settle the dispute over Ibrahim Jaafari's candidacy for the prime ministership, Muqtada put the ball in his opponents' court, calling on them to choose a speaker of the house and his two deputies, as well as a president and two vice presidents, before taking up the issue of the prime minister, "in accordance with the text of the constitution."

http://www.juancole.com/

[Amaunet]

Iran deploys ballistic missiles within range of U.S. bases in Iraq
Iran has quietly deployed its Shihab-2 medium-range ballistic missiles within striking distance of major U.S. military bases in Iraq. The Shihab-2s, with a range of about 700 kilometers, were moved west from bases near Teheran toward the border with Iraq earlier this year. Western intelligence sources said Teheran would use the Shihab-2 in case of any U.S. air strike on Iran.
http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/

The Shihab-2 is based on Scud-C missiles. When they start pointing the Shihab-3 look out.


Sunday, April 02, 2006
Iran's Burgeoning Missile Arsenal

Ilan Berman, American Foreign Policy Council: Plus other news items.

"Western intelligence sources" have told Middle East Newsline (March 20) that Iran is assembling a new class of hybrid intermediate ballistic missiles. The nuclear-capable missiles, which are believed to be comprised of Iran's "Shihab-3" and the North Korean "BM-25" and to have a range of up to 4,500 kilometers, will dramatically increase Iran's reach, bringing nearly every city in Western Europe within striking distance.

"The Iranians have achieved a major breakthrough in missile development with North Korean help that would allow Teheran to fire a nuclear missile toward Europe," one intelligence source has told the news agency. "It's likely that Iran has already obtained at least one nuclear warhead." Moreover, intelligence officials say, the news could greatly complicate the current international crisis over Iran's nuclear program. "The threat of one mushroom cloud is enough to deter Europe."

http://regimechangeiran.blogspot.com/

[CoalTrain]

Why is it British intelligence is a credible source in this context??

[otraque]

i am amazed how the world press never considers the MEK, it is like they don't even know they exist.
It is difficult for me to take ANY reportage seriously about Iranians operating in Iraq if they don't say they well could be the Mujahadeen e Khalq(MEK), or, it is known they are not MEK, and say why they know this.
I have a good deal of info on MEK on this thread.
I find it amazing that a fanatic group of Iranians, that have worked with the U.S., had a base provided for them by U.S., is; however never mentioned by the so called experts---incompetence of reporting or on purpose?
That these hardened guerrillas(they have been armed and dangerous for 25 years, minimum) and a good deal are women(the group is itself Stalinist, and fought with Iraq against Iran), and number estimates of their core is 4,000 in number but they are ignored as being the possible(i would likely) Iranian operatives in Iraq.
Curious in they are KNOWN to be in Iraq and known to have support from U.S.----but they escape the news wires.
I will flatly disregard all reports of Iranians operating within Iraq without hard proof they are NOT MEK Iranians.
There is a reason for this.
Iran does not want to be captured and I.D. as Iranians associated with Tehran.
They want to avoid any cause to say they have acted pre-emptively in hostility to U.S. by being in Iraq.
Iranians that are NOT MEK operatives have been reported over and over, but not one captuerd, and identified--- just too amazing.