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Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2044332005

Iran blamed over soldiers' deaths

Iran's Revolutionary Guard was blamed for supplying the lethal explosive technology responsible for killing British soldiers in Iraq.

A senior British official said that there was evidence the Iranians were now in contact with Sunni Muslim insurgent groups fighting the coalition forces in Iraq.

He said that the Iranian action could be an attempt to warn off Britain over its demands that Tehran should abandon its controversial nuclear programme.

"It would be entirely natural that they would want to send a message 'Don't mess with us'. It would not be outside the policy parameters of Tehran," the official said.

He said it was believed that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had been responsible for supplying the explosives technology used in a series of deadly attacks on British troops over the summer.

"We think it has come from Lebanese Hizbollah via Iran," he said.

He refused to be drawn on whether the IRGC were acting on the orders of the government in Tehran or were operating independently.

Although Iran is Shia Muslim, the official said it now appeared that elements in Tehran were in contact with Sunni Muslim insurgent groups across the border in Iraq.

Sunni Muslims linked to al Qaida have been blamed for trying to ignite a civil war with the majority Shias, who have been the victims of some of the worst of the recent suicide bomb attacks.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Summer Wine · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River

Maybe its a targeted message, not a general public message. One thought could be that its an action as well as a message. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been analyzed as a strike against Japan and a message to the Soviet Union.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

When the U.S. bled the Soviets in Afhganistan, it had a lot of other govts with it: Saudi, Pakistan, Egypt, even Israel. All were actively involved, just behind-the-scenes. Yet we and our allies aren't the only ones who do this.

So I don't have any illusions that Iran, with interests in Iraq's future, is involved in the insurgency. And I'd also hazard that it's not just a one-time "message" to Britain.

I'd look for potential Syrian involvement as well. I saw something a while back on U.S. forces fighting within the Syrian border at one time.

There are many things going on behind-the-scenes.

And with resepect to the nukes against Japan: I heard that there were also some people who were primarily concerned about the human costs that entailed an invasion of the Japanese mainland...

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Okay, this is getting confusing.

According to the BBC, it is the Shiite insurgents who are alleged to be getting explosives from Iran. And the BBC doesn't say anything about Sunni insurgents being armed by Iran.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4315924.stm

http://www.juancole.com/

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

From MSNBC:

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

It is plausible and I'll say even likely that a nation like Iran (and Syria, too) would covertly intervene in the Iraqi War to back forces it is sympathetic with.

This is normal in diplomacy. There are things you do openly; there are things you don't do openly. This has been going on, in recorded history at least, since Biblical times and Sun Tzu.

I'd need much more than anything that any U.S. or British official might allege before saying that Iran (or Syria) is definitely involved, however. As On the Other Hand's concerns remind us: they don't even really have a stellar grasp of the area's politics...