Al-Qaida finds safe haven in Iran

[gilliam]

Somewhere north of Tehran, living perhaps in villas near the town of Chalous on the Caspian Sea coast, are between 20 and 25 of al-Qaida’s former leaders, along with two of Osama bin Laden’s sons.

Men such as Saif al-Adel, the former military commander of al-Qaida, and Suleiman Abu Ghaith, the bespectacled bin Laden spokesman, are not in hiding but rather in the care — or custody — of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

“They are under virtual house arrest,” not able to do much of anything, said one senior U.S. intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Let’s make a deal As a former senior U.S. counterterrorism official told NBC News: “The U.S. government believed that the Saudis made a deal with the Iranians in 1996 after the Khobar Towers bombing. The deal was structured this way: The Saudis would not cooperate with the U.S. on the investigation, knowing that if they did cooperate, the U.S. would have the justification for bombing Iran.”

In return, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Iranians agreed not to support any terrorist attacks in the kingdom.

18 al-Qaida leaders reportedly in Iran

Most recently, there are reports in Iranian newspapers of the investigation proceeding and a comment by Saif a-Adel, the former military commander, in al-Quds, a radical London-based newspaper. Accompanying an article in which he praises Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, was a note saying that al-Adel had “a lot of free time” to write.

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com …

 

[Brad]

Shocker. Perhaps Bush was right on that whole axis of evil thing.

 

[ShroudMan]

Or just perhaps, its another “mushroom cloud” bill of goods that needs to be sold to the american people…ie…Weapons of Mass Distraction.

 

[gilliam]

ShroudMan:

Or just perhaps, its another “mushroom cloud” bill of goods that needs to be sold to the american people…ie…Weapons of Mass Distraction.

Sold to Americans by NBC???

 

[HagiaSophia]

ShroudMan:

Or just perhaps, its another “mushroom cloud” bill of goods that needs to be sold to the american people…ie…Weapons of Mass Distraction.

I have been posting on Iran and its nukes for over a year - it’s not a story, it’s not PR, it’s a quite serious issue. And if you don’t think so just ask the Israelis.

 

[gnjsdad]

HagiaSophia:

I have been posting on Iran and its nukes for over a year - it’s not a story, it’s not PR, it’s a quite serious issue. And if you don’t think so just ask the Israelis.

And what of the threat Iran sees from Israel and its nukes? Doesn’t that count?

 

[HagiaSophia]

gnjsdad:

And what of the threat Iran sees from Israel and its nukes? Doesn’t that count?

I suggest that one liners do not disguise who and what the problems are and where they come from.

 

[Jay74]

gnjsdad:

And what of the threat Iran sees from Israel and its nukes? Doesn’t that count?

Nonsense. Iran is a terrorist state, and Israel is one of the most humane and decent democracies in the world.

Iran wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate Israel if it could, but it can’t because of Mutually Assurred Destruction. Israel needs nukes–I’m not sure they’d last a week without them. All Iran has to do to no be threatened by Israel is to leave them alone.

I don’t know what to say when people can’t see the difference between Israel having nukes and Iran having nukes. Asking about the threat Iran sees is like asking the criminal about the threat he sees from the cops–a threat that wouldn’t be there if he’d quit committing crimes.

Blessings.

 

[gnjsdad]

HagiaSophia:

I suggest that one liners do not disguise who and what the problems are and where they come from.

My question is a serious one, not a “one liner”. Your response suggests your blindness to the realities in the Middle East re Israel and its neighbors

 

[gnjsdad]

Jay74:

Israel is one of the most humane and decent democracies in the world.

Just ask the Palestinians about that.

Read this link by Ran Ha Cohen of the Israeli daily *Haaretz *and perhaps you’ll reconsider your assessment of Israel’s “humane” democracy.

 

[thestickman]

gnjsdad:

Just ask the Palestinians about that.

Read this link by Ran Ha Cohen of the Israeli daily *Haaretz *and perhaps you’ll reconsider your assessment of Israel’s “humane” democracy.

And if you want a really good laugh, read the about us section at that website. From there you get a link to the founding website

While there you get to read: Randolph Bourne, a notable American critic and social activist, courageously opposed World War I. The Randolph Bourne Institute (RBI) seeks to honor his memory by promoting a non-interventionist foreign policy for the United States as the best way of fostering a peaceful, more prosperous world.

 

[gilliam]

gnjsdad:

Just ask the Palestinians about that.

Read this link by Ran Ha Cohen of the Israeli daily *Haaretz *and perhaps you’ll reconsider your assessment of Israel’s “humane” democracy.

It’s funny that the people who are anti-war side with Palestinian terrorists and now al-Queda terrorists. Makes one wonder what ‘anti-war’ really means.

By the way, I listened to “Air America” last night driving home. I haven’t heard such anti-American / pro-enemy / troop demoralizing retoric since listening to tapes of Hanoi Hanna and Tokyo Rose. The Democrats should be ashamed to be associated with that radio network.

 

[Jay74]

gnjsdad:

Just ask the Palestinians about that.

Read this link by Ran Ha Cohen of the Israeli daily *Haaretz *and perhaps you’ll reconsider your assessment of Israel’s “humane” democracy.

Sure, I’ll ask them. They may say “all Jews are infidels from the moment they are born and must die.” After their answer, they may behead me. After all, I’m an infidel too.

Just ask the criminals what they think about the police.

 

[Jay74]

gilliam:

It’s funny that the people who are anti-war side with Palestinian terrorists and now al-Queda terrorists. Makes one wonder what ‘anti-war’ really means.

Anti-war (and unfortunately, peace) now means inaction in the face of terror and evil. It’s not the murderers and tyrants who are wrong, but those who fight them.

 

[Jay74]

And what of the threat Iran sees from Israel and its nukes?

I ran across this article, and its eye opening. Israel would be at peace with Iran if Iran would stop trying to destroy it.

“Iran clarifies the Middle East.”

 

[gnjsdad]

Jay74:

I ran across this article, and its eye opening. Israel would be at peace with Iran if Iran would stop trying to destroy it.

“Iran clarifies the Middle East.”

The fact that Iran’s rulers nurse a fanatical hatred for Israel is not eye-opening to me. It’s old news. It’s also not my purpose to justify or rationalize the fanatacism that would deny humanitarian aid to people in need.

What should, but doesn’t, get Americans’ attention is the degree of hatred for Arabs exhibited by a growing segment of the Israeli population, especially the West Bank settlers.

Power realities in the Middle East make the “poor misunderstood Israel that only wants to be left alone in peace” argument good only as Israeli propaganda. The fact is that Israel is far stronger than any combination of Arab enemies who might wish to combine forces against it. Iran can no more destroy Israel than Iraq under Saddam could destroy the U.S.

Americans would do well to inform themselves about the nature of the Israeli occupation and annexation of the West Bank and the every-day brutality ordinary Palestinians are forced to endure. This is documented in the Israeli press (my example - Haaretz) and not just Arab outlets like Al Jazeera.

 

[Jeffrey]

Just ask the Israelis about the Palestinians.

Think I’ll stick by Israel.

gnjsdad:

Just ask the Palestinians about that.

Read this link by Ran Ha Cohen of the Israeli daily *Haaretz *and perhaps you’ll reconsider your assessment of Israel’s “humane” democracy.

 

[rlg94086]

gnjsdad:

Power realities in the Middle East make the “poor misunderstood Israel that only wants to be left alone in peace” argument good only as Israeli propaganda. ** The fact is that Israel is far stronger than any combination of Arab enemies who might wish to combine forces against it. ** Iran can no more destroy Israel than Iraq under Saddam could destroy the U.S.

Americans would do well to inform themselves about the nature of the Israeli occupation and annexation of the West Bank and the every-day brutality ordinary Palestinians are forced to endure. This is documented in the Israeli press (my example - Haaretz) and not just Arab outlets like Al Jazeera.

I am informed, thank you. If the bolded segment is true, and it may be, why hasn’t big, bad Israel wiped them all out? Why have they caved in and given land back? Where are the Israeli quotes (from credible sources, please) of Israeli leaders calling for the complete annihilation of it’s Arab/Persian neighbors?

I’m sure I can quickly find some quotes of Islamic leaders calling for Israel’s destruction…

 

[Jeffrey]

rlg94086:

I’m sure I can quickly find some quotes of Islamic
leaders calling for Israel’s destruction…

Thing is… your quotes would be true.

 

[gnjsdad]

gilliam:

It’s funny that the people who are anti-war side with Palestinian terrorists.

It’s curious that people who see the justice in the Palestinian cause are invariably accused of “siding with Palestinian terrorists”.

You cannot credibly make such a charge unless you provide some evidence that you understand that it’s a gross injustice for a people to suffer what ordinary Palestinians are suffering.

Perhaps the thought that the Palestinians have rights is something that has never occurred to you.

One can find terrorist tactics morally repulsive, as I do, and sympathize with the plight of the Palestinians at the same time.