View Full Version : Inside Iran's Secret War for Iraq
A TIME investigation reveals the Tehran regime's strategy to gain influence in Iraq--and why U.S. troops may now face greater dangers as a result
By MICHAEL WARE/BAGHDAD
Posted Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005
The U.S. Military's new nemesis in Iraq is named Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani, and he is not a Baathist or a member of al-Qaeda. He is working for Iran. According to a U.S. military-intelligence document obtained by TIME, al-Sheibani heads a network of insurgents created by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps with the express purpose of committing violence against U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq. Over the past eight months, his group has introduced a new breed of roadside bomb more lethal than any seen before; based on a design from the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hizballah, the weapon employs "shaped" explosive charges that can punch through a battle tank's armor like a fist through the wall. According to the document, the U.S. believes al-Sheibani's team consists of 280 members, divided into 17 bombmaking teams and death squads. The U.S. believes they train in Lebanon, in Baghdad's predominantly Shi'ite Sadr City district and "in another country" and have detonated at least 37 bombs against U.S. forces this year in Baghdad alone.
Check out the rest of the article here (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1093747,00.html)
aricbcool
08-15-2005, 18:54
One thing I noticed:
"Western diplomats say that so far, the ayatullahs appear to be acting defensively rather than offensively. An encouraging sign is that even Shi'ite beneficiaries of Tehran exhibit strains of Iraqi and Arab nationalism; and many have strong familial and tribal ties with the Sunnis. "We are sons of Iraq. The circumstances that forced me to leave did not change my identity," says Badr leader al-Amri. He's proud of his cooperation with the Revolutionary Guard to battle Saddam but says it extended only "to the limit of our interests." An informed Western observer thinks that while those groups maintain a "shared world view" with Tehran, much as Brits and Americans share each other's, they are now trying to balance their interests with those of their backers and are eager to wield power in Baghdad in their own right. "I think you'll never break a lifelong relationship," says the senior U.S. military officer, "but as time goes by, as they become politicians fighting local issues, they will change.""
Tells me that Iraqis will have no problem selling Iran up the river if it suits their interest.
Another thing: "Intelligence sources claim that Brigadier General Sullaimani ordained in a meeting of his militia proxies in the spring of last year that "any move that would wear out the U.S. forces in Iraq should be done. Every possible means should be used to keep the U.S. forces engaged in Iraq.""
I think that Iran wants to keep us busy in Iraq, because they know they're next...
Good article jatx, thanks.
--Aric
I think that if we were to play our hand right we could turn the Iran-Iraq situation into a very good thing for us in the middle east.
Right now there is a very large and growing pro-western movement in Iran. It is especially popular with the younger intellectuals and educated population of the country. Now, with as much influence as we exert over Iraq right now we could link them with the pro-westerners in Iran to help bolster change in that country. That would help stabalize Iraq as they wouldn't be odd man out in that region of the world as far as their pro wetern and reformist/progressive stance.
I think that this could be accomplished if we just geared back up our cold-war propoganda machine albeit geared for the middle east. That propoganda machine, in my opinion was one of the most istrumental things in bringing an end to the cold war. It could be used ot great effect in the middle east.
Also as I have stated before, I think that we are putting too much faith in Iraq's legitimate government and constitution to prevent civil war and destablaization once we pull out. Now, if we got them together with another country and government in that region that had the same interests I think we would be golden. That could be Iran if we went about it the right way and came after them with the pen and Coca Cola, rather than the sword.
The Reaper
08-19-2005, 22:30
A TIME investigation reveals the Tehran regime's strategy to gain influence in Iraq--and why U.S. troops may now face greater dangers as a result
By MICHAEL WARE/BAGHDAD
Posted Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005
The U.S. Military's new nemesis in Iraq is named Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani, and he is not a Baathist or a member of al-Qaeda. He is working for Iran. According to a U.S. military-intelligence document obtained by TIME, al-Sheibani heads a network of insurgents created by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps with the express purpose of committing violence against U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq. Over the past eight months, his group has introduced a new breed of roadside bomb more lethal than any seen before; based on a design from the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hizballah, the weapon employs "shaped" explosive charges that can punch through a battle tank's armor like a fist through the wall. According to the document, the U.S. believes al-Sheibani's team consists of 280 members, divided into 17 bombmaking teams and death squads. The U.S. believes they train in Lebanon, in Baghdad's predominantly Shi'ite Sadr City district and "in another country" and have detonated at least 37 bombs against U.S. forces this year in Baghdad alone.
Check out the rest of the article here (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1093747,00.html)
AFAIK, the author is parrotting someone else's BS about the attacks.
Shaped charges are old news and are in almost every anti-tank weapon, but due to certain physical properties, have to be detonated almost in contact with the target to penetrate it. The correct standoff is a formula relating to the characteristics of the shaped charge liner, which I will not get into here. The M1 is a very tough nut to crack.
The other anti-armor techniques are kinetic penetrators (usually a tank round), flying platter charges (it would take a really special one to hole an M1), and bulk explosives (use enough demo, you can destroy any target).
What he may be referring to is a directional charge, where the blast is tamped on the backside, not a shaped charge.
We are seeing aerial bombs being used for sheer net explosive weight, and multiple AT mines for the same reason.
I do not believe that the Iranians or Hizballah have developed any new charge, they are just using more demo closer to the target to get it done.
If we could close the border, and/or get intel from the indig on where the terrorists are hiding, this would be a much simpler end game.
TR
magician
08-20-2005, 01:29
Hmmm.
Looks like a good scenario for some false flag initiatives.
AFAIK, the author is parrotting someone else's BS about the attacks.
The author misunderstood a phrase that describes the kind of charge.