Posted on 10/12/2011 5:41:49 AM PDT by IbJensen
It should be, but will it be?
ABC News has broken a story about the disruption of a major Iran-backed terrorist plot to stage an attack on U.S. soil. According to U.S. officials, the plan was to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States and to attack the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington D.C. Parallel attacks were planned for these two countries’ embassies in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The case is still being developed, and it isn’t clear whether the origin of this plot goes back to Tehran. According to ABC’s sources, Manssor Arbabsiar — an Iranian American living in Texas — approached an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration, thinking he was speaking with a member of a Mexican drug gang for help in the proposed attacks. He said he was acting on behalf of a cousin, Gholam Shakuri, who might be a Revolutionary Guard official involved in terrorist operations.
He offered $1.5 million for the killing, with a $100,000 down payment in two installments being paid by Arbabsiar while on a visit to Iran.
These two men have been charged with conspiracy to kill, among other charges. Arbabsiar, who is now cooperating with the prosecution, also offered to provide opium in large quantities for the Mexican drug cartels. Apparently, the FBI has a lot of evidence, including recordings of meetings and telephone calls with Arbabsiar.
Let’s assume that this story is accurate. What’s most important here is not the innate sensationalism of this dramatic story, but its political implications. An Iranian official — perhaps two according to the indictment — is directly linked with a plan to stage terrorist attacks on American soil in which Americans would certainly have been killed or injured. This amounts to an act of war.
Indeed, it is the first time in modern history that a foreign government has been caught planning a major terrorist attack on American soil.
President Barack Obama, Homeland Security, and other top agencies and officials have the evidence and full briefings into this matter if they choose to access them. What effect would this have on U.S. foreign policy?
Already, they have had high-quality intelligence. We know this from the congressional testimony of Defense and State Department officials:
– Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.
– Iran is harboring al-Qaeda leaders on its soil and letting them plan attacks on America from that safe haven.
– Iran is training and supplying the Taliban with weapons and training to attack and kill Americans.
– Iran is deeply involved in attacking and killing U.S. personnel and citizens in Iraq.
And that’s not all. Is this sufficient evidence to persuade Obama that Iran regards itself as being at war with the United States? That the top priority of U.S. Middle East policy — and very possibly the number-one priority of U.S. foreign policy generally — should be to counter Iran and revolutionary Islamism? And I don’t mean by supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and Hezballah as moderates!
In other words, is this case going to be the smoking gun — or, perhaps, the smoking bomb — that gets U.S. policy on the right course? It should be, though I suspect it isn’t. But those who would be president and Congress should take note and learn from this event, even if the current president doesn’t.
Here are the court documents, courtesy of CBS. Nice when the mass media actually covers a story.
Here’ the Justice Department press release.
And the FBI’s press release.
But before the Obama administration brags about its success let’s consider two things:
First, it’s easy to catch a terrorist when he walks in and involves an undercover agent, but what if he had contacted a regular Mexican drug gangster?
Second, if that had happened might the Mexican drug cartel have used weapons sold to them in a U.S. government program sponsored by the Justice Department to kill U.S. citizens in Washington DC?
I guess, given the administration, given the games, I don’t believe it is true. Too convenient.
Wag The Dog.
It would be too bed to reduce the size of our military force in Iraq and Afghanistan. We many need them over there very soon. These jags in Iran have been at war with us by proxy for 30 years. Unfortunately we are too broke to wage another war.
Depends on your definition of “...turning point...”
Vote YES!!! on lake iran...
Yep. And what has Obama had to say about this Iranian plot?
< crickets >
Second, if that had happened might the Mexican drug cartel have used weapons sold to them in a U.S. government program sponsored by the Justice Department to kill U.S. citizens in Washington DC?
The big DOJ dog and pony show presser yesterday was a transparant attempt to deflect criticism from the valiant heroes of the FLEAs over Fast and Furious.
Monday AM, the word was leaked that subpoenas would be issued for Holder and a dozen top DOJ officials "perhaps today, perhaps later in the week."
Voila, Tuesday morning, the big DOJ circus. "Look at how we are working day and night to keep America safe. Look at the evil Iranian boogymen!"
But even this reporter "gets it." How amazingly ironic that this Iranian plot (?) was coordinated through Mexico using drug cartels as the vehicle. I wonder if the FBI or DEA "informants" who were at the Brian Terry murder were also involved with the "Iranian terrorists." (?)
The DOJ conference could have been held last month, next month, or never. It was clearly an act of political theater designed to buy Holder time in the face of incoming subpoenas by changing the urgent topic to a dastardly Iranian plot, which was "controlled" by FBI informants from the word go. It was no more a threat than any of the bozos wannabee jihadists who end up in contact with FBI agents posing as Al Queda, who are provided with pretend play-doh C-4 before they are arrested.
Avoid direct avowal of F&F involvement....AND get a boost from having nixed an assassination plot.
Typical
This is most likely an attempt at plausible deniability
by Holder and Obama who have weaponized Hezbollah
south of the US border.
Hezbollah ARE THE IRANIAN MULLAHS.
What a coincidence that DEA was heavily involved in F&F story breaks and then this. What were the chances?
On another front i can see the mullahs kicking ahmanutjob to the curb and blaming this all on him. Take the heat off for at least a bit.
The government lies about EVERYTHING. If some government official said the sky was blue I would look out the window to see for myself.
But, but, if we spend more money on wars, it will help the economy...all will go back to work...all problems will disappear...I just noticed that all the expenditures on the Afghanistan effort are just about equal to the “tax bill” Obummer is alleged to be trying to get passed in the Congress...many things smell in many different places on these deals.
IMHO, Reagan would have announced many months ago: “Bombing begins in Iran in 5 minutes...”
What a mess we have!
Wag the dog. Zero needs a *war* to take the spoylight off of all of his failures, especially Solyndra, Gunwalker, unemployment, etc.
Just like the boy who cried wolf one too many times, this Administration and its lackeys suffer from a deficit of moral and professional credibility.
Edited for accuracy.
The odor of bovine feces emulating from the Chicago Politics gang in the White House is once again smothering the MSM!
Our war-hero president, with a baby to call his very own.
Go to the room wit da bars onnit Eric. Get bitch slapped by your boyfrien and get some tattoos on yo arm boy. You a jailhouse ho now!
Whassat yo say bro? Oh, yo cellmate is Braaack? Shoe be on de udder foot, homey.
Wag the dog. Zero needs a *war* to take the spotlight off of all of his failures, especially Solyndra, Gunwalker, unemployment, etc.
Yes, he ‘needs’ a war. And knowing this bunch it will be a ‘limited’ sort that slowly bleeds us to death. and then when we’ve ‘won’ the State Department will need Trillions of Taxpayer dollars to rebuild the country.
It makes me so damn mad. And what makes me even madder is that it will probably go down just like that. We Americans are just being played for credulous idiots.
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