ZARQAWI IS ALONG IRAQ-IRAN BORDER

Mideast Newsline ^ | August 2 2004 | NA

[Southack]

This article is nonsense. Zarqawi has been positively ID'd by an American bomber over Fallujah in Western Iraq...not anywhere near the Iran border (which would be far from his insurgency and would present logistal nightmares to him).

Moreover, the U.S. in Iraq intercepted a courier between Zarqawi and Osama Bin Laden last week...and you wouldn't send a courier from Iran West into American dominated Iraq to go to Bin Laden in Pakistan or Afghanistan in the East.

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[kabar]

Iran isn'T Iraq. We cann't waltz in there like we did with Saddam. They have a bigger and better army--Now they have Nukes too (or will have soon). They have a larger population as well. It would be a nightmare to tackle Iran. We could give it a try but the outcome might not be good the cost in lives would be in the 50,000 mark for us alone. As long as this state supports the terrorists we have lost.

Nonsense. Iran is another Iraq in terms of its military capabilities, only less. In eight years of fighting the Iran-Iraq war was a stand off, testimony to how incompetent both sides were. Iran couldn't even hold Basra. Iran spent $4.3 billion on its military in 2003 or 1/100th of what we spend. Command and control win battles not mass armies.

The backbone of Iran's strategic missile force consists of 200-300 North Korean produced SCUD-B and -C missiles (with ranges of 320 km and 500 km respectively) and 200 or more Chinese CSS-8 missiles (with a range of 150 km). These are armed with conventional and perhaps chemical warheads. Iran's missiles can reach major population centers in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the smaller Arab Gulf states. In addition, Iran is funding North Korea's development of the Nodong-1 missile, which -- with its 1,300-km range -- will be able to strike Israel. The project is reportedly plagued with technical and financial problems, however, and it may be a year or more before the missile attains operational status and is transferred to Iran.

In contrast, Iran's conventional capabilities are relatively modest. Tehran would require tens of billions of dollars, which it does not have at this time, to become a major conventional military power. Due to its financial problems, Iran has acquired only a fraction of the items on its military wish list. Nonetheless, Iran is trying to build on its strengths while attempting to redress its most critical weaknesses by selectively modernizing its armed forces.

Iran's offensive options are limited. Its ground forces do not pose a threat to any of its neighbors, due to their small size and poor condition. Tehran can, however, launch limited air strikes against neighboring countries and has done so several times in Iraq in recent years. The main conventional challenge from Iran, from the point of view of the United States and its allies in the Gulf, is in the naval arena -- specifically, Tehran's ability to threaten the flow of oil from the region, the security and stability of the southern Gulf states, and the ability of the United States to project power in the region.

A major confrontation with the United States could be devastating for Iran, however, resulting in the destruction of its military and civilian infrastructure, and leaving it without the ability to defend itself by conventional means. Moreover, hard experience over the past decade has shown Iran that it has neither the funds to replace significant combat losses nor a reliable supplier capable of doing so. An open provocation by Iran could also invite the imposition of stiff sanctions like those imposed on Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait. Having observed at close range the devastating impact these sanctions have had on Iraq, the mullahs are unlikely to follow Saddam Hussein's example. Thus, for the foreseeable future, Iran will try to avoid a confrontation with the United States.

[Dog Gone]

Excellent points. It's overwhelmingly likely that he's still in the Fallujah region.

[Dog]

I only post them....:-)

[POA2]

This article is nonsense. Zarqawi has been positively ID'd by an American bomber over Fallujah in Western Iraq...not anywhere near the Iran border (which would be far from his insurgency and would present logistal nightmares to him). I think I might tend to agree with this - I am not so sure that Zarqawi is in Iran (or using Iran) - I guess that is possible - but the "source" is what I find very suspect -

My opinion - he stays around fallujah - doesn't venture outside of there often - I am surprised it is taking us this long to track him down - Considering all the contacts we have made inside Iraq -

Al Zawahiri and UBL (being located where they are) makes sense in the trouble we are having locating them - But with all our contacts and converts inside of Iraq...I can't believe someone has outed his as$ yet -

It will happen before OCT is my guess.

[Southack]

"I only post them....:-)"

Ooops, sorry about my tone. It was not intended to be against you. In fact, I would like to take this moment to THANK you for posting and tracking these articles. It's useful and entertaining, a pleasant combination. Again, sorry for my tone.

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[doug from upland]

Is that a drone I hear? Oh, nooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

[driftless]

Iran may or may not be near a revolution. If we can foster that and not send troops, I feel that is the best way. I'm still a strong supporter of the Iraq war, but I don't like to see our troops killed when other measures will do. Remember Reagan was set to invade Nicaragua, but the Sandinistas were overthrown without military action on our part.

Hussein was done in by U.N. resolution 1441 where we could legally take him out. We don't have that with Iran. I'm not saying that we should never attack Iran, I'm just stating that we should see how things develop. However if we don't take action, Israel might. I simply don't like to put our military in jeopardy unless it's absolutely necessary like with Iraq.

[hoosiermama]

Zarqawi/Osama could be living in a French Chateau sipping on champaign and working in rose garden....No one would ever think of looking for them there.

[WOSG]

" ... where he held a meeting with a senior aide to deposed President Saddam Hussein, Izzat Ibrahim Douri. Douri, regarded as a major financier of the Sunni insurgency, was said to have provided the Al Qaida-aligned insurgent with a large amount of weapons and equipment."

Impossible, Saddam's henchmen and Al Qaeda working together?!?

http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com/2004/07/saddams-regime-and-al-qaeda.html

Exploding the myth of Saddam / Al Qaeda 'no link', one piece of evidence at a time.

[WOSG]

I hope that is sarcasm and not blithering idiocy.

[SENTINEL]

"The United States won't cross the Iranian border to get him."

Not for long, the election is only three months away !

[antisocialista]

Put down the Kool-aid there partner.

There is no army - let me repeat that, NO ARMY in the world that can beat the US. If they want to rumble we can and will take the fight right to Tehran(/sp).

And remember they have a very edgy college crowd that does not really agree with the muhlahs.

[BigSkyFreeper]

You underestimate the sheer firepower and strength of the 4 main branches of the United States military, which I will add, also includes the National Guard troops.

Armchair Generals thought we couldn't liberate Baghdad, said it could never be done without the high loss of human life, but they were all mistaken once we drove into Baghdad, under Saddam's nose and started tearing down monuments to Saddam's insanity all the while stripping Saddam of every ounce of rag-tag military "might" he had.