General rips Iran as Iraq foe

Washington Times ^ | August 25, 2007 | By Sara A. Carter

[JohnHuang2]

A top Army commander in Iraq yesterday said Iran's Revolutionary Guard is trying to disrupt U.S. military gains by ramping up weapons and training support for radical Shi'ite groups.

"We are up against a new wave of lethality sponsored by the enemies of the people of Iraq and its government," said Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of a division in central Iraq.

He emphasized that withdrawing troops from Iraq would be a "giant step backward" — a day after Republican Sen. John W. Warner of Virginia recommended a basically symbolic pullout of some troops by Christmas.

"We are finding Iranian-made munitions and weapons systems throughout our area," Gen. Lynch said. "[T]he fact remains we have a 125-mile border with Iran in the Wasat province, and that continues to be a concern."

Gen. Lynch's comments came a day after an updated intelligence report from 16 agencies said "measurable" security improvements have been made in the war-torn region since January that require continued military pressure.

[RepublitarianRoger]

I guess what I still don't understand is, why didn't we see this coming before we went into Iraq?

We knew Iran has these types of weapons.

We knew we weren't exactly on "ally" terms with Iran (to say the least!!), even before Ahmanutjob entered the picture.

We knew Iran is not on good terms with Iraq.

In 2003, Iran was the most active state sponsor of terrorism. (Source: US Dept. of State.)

We knew Khameini and Khatami were actively encouraging anti-Israeli activity.

...not to mention, of course, all of the previous history -- the hostage crisis, the 1983 Marine barracks bombing, their designation of the US as the "Great Satan," Bush's designation of Iran as part of the Axis of Evil, and on and on.

So, to say we knew Iran was going to be a problem (or at least that we definitely should have known), is an understatement. Why did our government, then, seem so surprised and caught off-guard when Iranian terrorists starting wreaking havoc there with bombings? Why wasn't there a better plan to neutralize the meddling of Iran in our Iraq affairs, and to nip their destabilization plans in the bud before they got to this point?

[pieceofthepuzzle]

There are many potential explanations for the questions that you ask. First, maybe they did know it, were planing on dealing with Iran definitively, but didn’t accurately assess the support (i.e. lack of support) they would have from the press and the left. Or, maybe they thought that Iran and Iraq were big enough enemies after the Iran-Iraq war that there was no way any Iraqi’s would collaborate with the Iranians. Maybe they were duped by Iranian stooges who wanted the secular government of Iraq overthrown so that the Iranian manner of theocratic government could then be imposed. The reality is, however simple. If we hadn’t gone into Iraq all of the Jihadists that are now there would have gone to Afghanistan instead. We would still have to contend with them, no doubt. Also, Iraq would definitely have been a safe haven for anti-Western radical Islamists, irrespective of Saddam’s views on secularism and religion.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

“We are finding Iranian-made munitions and weapons systems throughout our area,” Gen. Lynch said. “[T]he fact remains we have a 125-mile border with Iran in the Wasat province, and that continues to be a concern.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s Called Arc~Light General...

[topher]

Bottom line: Iran is killing US Troops in Iraq (as well as Iraqi Troops, Police, and Civilians).

[Candor7]

Payback is coming. Count ln it.

[Caipirabob]

I guess what I still don't understand is, why didn't we see this coming before we went into Iraq?

I think part of the problem was identifying, isolating and outmanuevering Democrat/Socialist plants in the state department and other areas including the FBI and CIA. Those folks continue to work against America and help to strengthen our enemies. The job could have been done better if the President had a better assessment of the situation when he arrived in office. The problem was, he barely got into office.

The Democrats worked actively to disable this Presidency before it even began.

It's too much to expect of any man to overcome all of the opposition built up against him alone in just a few months. Sadly, that was all we had before the attacks came.

Heaven help us if another treasonous Democrat ascends to the Presidency again. The nightmare they'll make for our nation would be difficult to reverse. Eight years of Clintonism has been hard enough to clean up.

[Paco]

I wish I could agree with you but I don’t think so Candor...I’ve been waiting for payback for a LOOOONG time. Bush will not do anything about Iran, definitely not in an election year. He will leave that to the next president. Bush is tired and fatigued from this war and the constant critics. The last thing he’ll do is open up a can of whoop a$$ on Iran in the next 15 months.

[uncbob]

Unfortunately you are right

Sad isn’t it

Bush can ask the military to risk—lose their lives and get maimed but will allow sanctuaries in IRAN ala Vietnam

If he hasn’t the gonads to protect the troops—then bring them home

[KantianBurke]

IMHO, Bush and co. underestimated the posibility of an Iraqi insurgency powered by an Iran precisely because they overestimated the afteraffectes that Operation Iraqi Freedom would have on the Iranian populace. They believed, thanks to schmucks like Michael Leeden, that the Iranian public was about to overthrow the mullahs and do our work for us. They were wrong, the Iranian wackjobs have been able to fund and support the insurgents and we don’t have the boots on the ground to do anything about it.

[SpitfyrAce]

Sounds like we need 20 or so Warthogs assigned to fly round the clock on that 120 mile long border. A free fire zone a few miles across and the length of the border should do the trick. Keep two or three of them up constantly patrolling along with some SEAL teams on the ground as spotters.

[shield]

Warner in his old age of 80 has become feeble.

[bert]

What evidence do you have ther was no plan and that the current events are not included in that plan?

You assume a simultaneous action and series events that was simply not possible. The time is coming.

[Candor7]

The last thing he’ll do is open up a can of whoop a$$ on Iran in the next 15 months.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

All I can say without letting any cats out of the bag,is watch the USN in the gulf.

President Bush will NOT leave a nuclear capability intact in Iran.

And bless him for that.