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Document: Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban
June 06, 2007 6:00 PM
NATO officials say they have caught Iran red-handed, shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the Taliban for use against NATO forces, in what the officials say is a dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the United States and Great Britain.
"It is inconceivable that it is anyone other than the Iranian government that's doing it," said former White House counterterrorism official Richard Clarke, an ABC News consultant.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stopped short earlier this week of blaming Iran, saying the U.S. did not have evidence "of the involvement of the Iranian government in support of the Taliban."
But an analysis by a senior coalition official, obtained by the Blotter on ABCNews.com, concludes there is clear evidence of Iran's involvement.
"This is part of a considered policy," says the analysis, "rather than the result of low-level corruption and weapons smuggling."
Iran and the Taliban had been fierce enemies when the Taliban was in power in Afghanistan, and their apparent collaboration came as a surprise to some in the intelligence community.
"I think their goal is to make it very clear that Iran has the capability to make life worse for the United States on a variety of fronts," said Seth Jones of the Rand Institute, "even if they have to do some business with a group that has historically been their enemy."
The coalition analysis says munitions recovered in two Iranian convoys, on April 11 and May 3, had "clear indications that they originated in Iran. Some were identical to Iranian supplied goods previously discovered in Iraq."
The April convoy was tracked from Iran into Helmand province and led a fierce firefight that destroyed one vehicle, according to the official analysis. A second vehicle was reportedly found to contain small arms ammunition, mortar rounds and more than 650 pounds of C4 demolition charges.
A second convoy of two vehicles was spotted on May 3 and led to the capture of five occupants and the seizure of RPG-7mm rockets and more than 1,000 pounds of C4, the analysis says.
Also among the munitions are components for the lethal EFPs, or explosive formed projectiles, the roadside bombs that U.S. officials say Iran has provided to Iraqi insurgents with deadly results.
"These clearly have the hallmarks of the Iranian Revolution Guards' Quds force," said Jones.
The coalition diplomatic message says the demolition charges "contained the same fake U.S. markings found on explosives recovered from insurgents operating in the Baghdad area."
"We believe these intercepted munitions are part of a much bigger flow of support from Iran to the Taliban," the message says.
The Taliban receives larger supplies of weapons through profits from opium dealing, officials say, but the Iranian presence could be significant.
"It means the insurgency in Afghanistan is likely to be prolonged," said Jones. "It would be a much more potent force."
June 6, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (907)
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Keep your head stuck in the dirt, lefties. If you do not think Iran is an enemy to the US and Europe, you have been "stuck on stupid" since the 1979 revolution. Iran is responsible for the empowerment of all terrorism in the Middle East. Hamas and Hezbollah keep the Palestinians from any real chance at peace and a homeland, all fed with weapons and financing from Iran. Syria is kept as one big terrorist training camp by Iranian command. If Iraq is not allowed to be set free by the Coalition forces, Iran will control the whole region and Europe will then be the next target. Of course, the EU will raise the white flag immediately.
Posted by: Dwight Nave | Jun 6, 2007 7:27:33 PM
Absolutely dead on -mikevotes-:
"but hiding behind 'Report says' and analysis of unnamed official without evidence should no longer be acceptable reporting in this country.
Not after similar reporting contributed to the war in Iraq."
Reporters have abused the so called "unnamed source/official" for the basis of their stories for far to long.
Reporters should report the details/fact of the story without personal agenda's
Posted by: VoteTheBumsOut | Jun 6, 2007 7:27:40 PM
Isn't that the Mexican flag!?
Posted by: keith | Jun 6, 2007 7:27:49 PM
I don't think the people claiming "lies" would ever believe any fact that did not support their agenda. News is now a waste of time it seems because no source will ever be good enough for the anti war crowd. I thought Nato was an international force for the most part. You folks would not believe it if ackmedidhisdad came out and claimed it himself. Not every news outlet is part of some grand theorized conspiracy to enslave the world with democracy.
Posted by: vforge | Jun 6, 2007 7:30:45 PM
Hey steve salter, is that the same media that only reports on the negative aspects of the Iraq war? The same media that won't report that the troops want to finish what they started and help liberate the oppressed Iraqis? The same media that fails to report on Feintsein's graft? The same media that organized a joke of a Republican debate? Yeah, that must be it. There is a conservative bias in the media. That's as big a joke as you Mr. Salter.
Posted by: Greg | Jun 6, 2007 7:32:27 PM
I have to chuckle. Most of the folks that have commented here have talked about how the US is lying.. NATO is lying.. the media is LYING.... when a truck drives out of Iran with the weapons on board and you catch them in the act.. what is that exactly?.. more lies?... we have destroyed tons and tons of munitions in Iraq.. and in Afghan.. so where is the new stuff coming from?.. are the Afghanis crapping it out? Use some logic.
Posted by: Blog Curmudgeon | Jun 6, 2007 7:32:40 PM
Long past time to break the welds of the wheels of Enola Gay.
Posted by: willy | Jun 6, 2007 7:32:44 PM
Well said Brian... I don't think we are there yet, but it sure looks like an inevitable showdown is coming.
Posted by: Al | Jun 6, 2007 7:32:47 PM
"my enemy's enemy is my friend"
"Here's a fact to consider: the Iranian government is Shi'a. The Taliban are Sunni - hard core Sunnis. These people do not have a common cause"
Other than the USA being both of their enemy’s?
Mitch
Posted by: Mitch | Jun 6, 2007 7:33:19 PM
We need to give Iran 48 hours notice that the next time we find weapons going into Iraq or Afganistan we will take out all airports, bridges,highways connecting to contiguous countries, Naval facilities and radio towers. If they don't get it then, take out all government buildings and known residences of government officials. If they don't get that then we can get tough with them.
Posted by: dave | Jun 6, 2007 7:33:28 PM
How quickly the lefties must monitor all these sites to be the first to blame a political back door deal for wanting to attack Iran. Hey, those guys want to play ball we'll knock them out of the park. Shia' or Sunni doesn't matter. They are criminal and should be destroyed. Bring a bomb, meet your maker I always say. If Iran wants to get involved ... then let's involve them. To defeat force, use force. Any US citizen who thinks it's ok to stand by and let our enemy bring weapons and explosives into another country to kill our soldiers is no friend of the US and must be French.
Posted by: Al | Jun 6, 2007 7:33:35 PM
Why do you think the way you do and why am I asking you?
Posted by: SilentGhost | Jun 6, 2007 7:33:41 PM
to Robert L. Barney - well said !!!! i wish all of these people who rush to Irans defense in al cases would just move there , these idiots have an agenda to hate on the U.S. at all cost while living here and enjoying the freedom they don't deserve.
Posted by: craig | Jun 6, 2007 7:34:00 PM
Some of you need to go to your local socialist liberal bazaar and get your free ostrich bonnet so you can go stick your head in the sand. God I have never ever in my life seen so many people who are opposed to the people trying to stop the throat cutters. “Convert or Die.” What kind of religion is that? Not one that I subscribe to and one that needs to be wiped of the face of this earth.
Posted by: David | Jun 6, 2007 7:34:36 PM
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
"Keep you friends close, and your enemies closer."
Sunni and Shi'a are mortal enemies indeed...at least until they are fighting Isreal or the United States.
Be well,
Huckleberry
Posted by: Huckleberry | Jun 6, 2007 7:34:38 PM
We did 1000 times worse to the Russians when they were in Afghanistan. We have no right now to complain.
Posted by: Prof Watson | Jun 6, 2007 7:36:34 PM
oh my this must be the "liberal media" hard at work again... even though i wish the media in general was bit more liberal I just have to laugh when i read crap articles like this one... abc you are losing credibility every time someone reads this junk.. (and my personal feeling is that we should bomb Iran just for their speeches on the world stage)
Posted by: Steve | Jun 6, 2007 7:37:33 PM
It has to be obvious to any objective observer that Iran has ambitions to be the leading power in their corner of the world. Iran may have helped the US defeat the Taliban when the country first went to war in Afghanistan, but since then, the Iranians have other fish to fry. They want to expand their nuclear capabilities and with the destruction of the Saddam regime in Iraq, they smell an opportunity. If the US withdraws from the region before stabililizing Iraq, there will be a vaccuum, that Iran hopes to fill. A nuclear armed Iran without much counterweight to their ambitions would be a disaster for the Western World. This is why they are arming the Taliban and most likely arming the insurgents in Iraq.
Scott C.
Posted by: Scott Chrimes | Jun 6, 2007 7:38:21 PM
The Liberals love and praise Iran as their great Saviours.
They're Dangerous and sick people - they deserve each other.
Posted by: A.J. | Jun 6, 2007 7:38:28 PM
Its a shame people are still on the side of our enemy.... Regardless of the above story.. The Iranians blatently state "we will wipe israel of the map" two days ago.. "the countdown has begun" To all of the Nevil Chamberlains... whos side are you on?
War with Iran is inevitable... the Iranian population is the most pro USA in the middle east.. yeah.. lets leave Iraq.. and let Iran take over.. "Those who dont know history are doomed to repeat it" "Those who do know history are surrounded by those doomed to repeat it"
Man.. that war mongering Bush.. how dare he be the first president in 26 YEARS TO HOLD DIRECT TALKS WITH IRAN!!!!! North Korea is coming around.. (clinton handed NK nuclear power) Venezuala is collapsing...
We now have conservatives in Mexico, Canada, Germany, FRANCE, Britain, Australia, Poland, most of the former Soviet Union sub states... coincedence that the free-est counties are the wealthiest and our allies?
Posted by: Red Blood | Jun 6, 2007 7:38:55 PM
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