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TheChosenOne · 01-18-2007, 19:29 PM

Well put article and you do make many good points. But I disagree that Iran is really willing to help solve the situation in Iraq. Iran is supplying the Shia' militia's with arms to include mortars, rockets, RPG's and all variety of IED's. What are the Shia militia's doing? Under the militia's, there are death squads, rivarily between the militias and pretty much an all out power struggle for power between the Badr Brigade and the Jash Al Mahdi milita a.k.a Mahdi army under Al Sadr. At the current time, the funding from Iran to these militias is a direct cause of the expanding secratrian violence, but also keep in mind, a lot of those resources are also directed at us, the US military from the militia themselves. Iran is using Iraq as a proxy to influence all aspects of the current situation. Then they go publicly to say that they are willing to help stabilize Iraq when in fact they are a major factor for the destabilization. The only way Iran can truly help is put a stop to its supply of arms and to convince the militia's it has influence over to end the violence. Both of which I don't see Iran doing. If Iran thinks it can get away publicly saying that it wants to help the situation but at the sametime secrectly arms the militias undermines it's credibility when it says it wants to help. At the sametime, countries like Saudi Arabi that are primarily Sunni need to use it's influence to try to get the Sunni's to end the violence against the Shia's. All sides need to fight AQ and the insurgencies. This struggle will continue until both sides finally say enough is enough against each other and focus on the real threat, AQ. I mean AQ was I believe responsible for the bombing of the Golden Shrine of Samara that really was the main spark to the secratarian violence. Read these...

U.S. says it has evidence on Iran
Meanwhile, U.S. defense officials say the United States has gathered substantial information and equipment pointing to the involvement of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Al Quds force among Shiite militias.

The militias have been attacking Iraqi civilians and U.S. troops, the officials said.

The evidence was gathered in raids that took place in Irbil earlier this month, and in Baghdad in December.

The United States is still holding 13 people seized in the raids. Others have been returned to Iran. At least two are said by U.S. officials to be senior members of Al Quds -- although it is not clear if those two are still in U.S. custody.

Some of the weapons and weapons components seized had Iranian manufacturing stamps, according to one official. The inventory included mortars, rockets, shoulder-launched weapons and rifles.

Officials are deeply concerned about finding Iranian-manufactured components for advanced improvised explosive devices. The components appear to be used in the armor-penetrating devices that have been used for months now against U.S. troops, the officials said.

Also found in these raids were shipping documents, including addresses inside Iraq, bills of lading, trip logs, videos and maps. One map showed Baghdad neighborhoods and other areas in Iraq marked off by religious affiliation.

and

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi authorities say they have been quietly taking a bolder stance against Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia, and the United States says it has uncovered evidence that Iran is involved in attacks inside Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Wednesday that security forces in recent days cracked down on the Mehdi Army, part of a politically powerful Shiite movement thought to be in the middle of the Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence in Iraq.

He said 400 arrests were made.

Al-Maliki has been seen as reluctant to take on the Mehdi Army because support from al-Sadr helped him become prime minister.

President Bush's plan to secure Baghdad and the rest of Iraq depends heavily on Iraqi government action against all insurgent groups. (Watch the destruction of bombs detonated in an al-Sadr stronghold )

Al-Maliki indicated he is taking action.

"Now about 400 of those linked to the Mehdi Army have been arrested over the past few days, and today in Karbala we conducted an operation against a group that assassinated a member of the Karbala provincial council. They have been detained and brought to Baghdad," al-Maliki said.

Al-Maliki said the government had acted against militias in Samawa, Diwaniya and Amara in southern Iraq as well.

I think Maliki is finally willing to truly play the neutral leader and reign in both sides using force if need be. It's good to see that the Iraqi government is finally willing to not just take on the sunni side but also the shia.

01-18-2007, 19:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
TheChosenOne *Military Professional* Join Date: 01-12-07 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 142	Well put article and you do make many good points. But I disagree that Iran is really willing to help solve the situation in Iraq. Iran is supplying the Shia' militia's with arms to include mortars, rockets, RPG's and all variety of IED's. What are the Shia militia's doing? Under the militia's, there are death squads, rivarily between the militias and pretty much an all out power struggle for power between the Badr Brigade and the Jash Al Mahdi milita a.k.a Mahdi army under Al Sadr. At the current time, the funding from Iran to these militias is a direct cause of the expanding secratrian violence, but also keep in mind, a lot of those resources are also directed at us, the US military from the militia themselves. Iran is using Iraq as a proxy to influence all aspects of the current situation. Then they go publicly to say that they are willing to help stabilize Iraq when in fact they are a major factor for the destabilization. The only way Iran can truly help is put a stop to its supply of arms and to convince the militia's it has influence over to end the violence. Both of which I don't see Iran doing. If Iran thinks it can get away publicly saying that it wants to help the situation but at the sametime secrectly arms the militias undermines it's credibility when it says it wants to help. At the sametime, countries like Saudi Arabi that are primarily Sunni need to use it's influence to try to get the Sunni's to end the violence against the Shia's. All sides need to fight AQ and the insurgencies. This struggle will continue until both sides finally say enough is enough against each other and focus on the real threat, AQ. I mean AQ was I believe responsible for the bombing of the Golden Shrine of Samara that really was the main spark to the secratarian violence. Read these... U.S. says it has evidence on Iran Meanwhile, U.S. defense officials say the United States has gathered substantial information and equipment pointing to the involvement of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Al Quds force among Shiite militias. The militias have been attacking Iraqi civilians and U.S. troops, the officials said. The evidence was gathered in raids that took place in Irbil earlier this month, and in Baghdad in December. The United States is still holding 13 people seized in the raids. Others have been returned to Iran. At least two are said by U.S. officials to be senior members of Al Quds -- although it is not clear if those two are still in U.S. custody. Some of the weapons and weapons components seized had Iranian manufacturing stamps, according to one official. The inventory included mortars, rockets, shoulder-launched weapons and rifles. Officials are deeply concerned about finding Iranian-manufactured components for advanced improvised explosive devices. The components appear to be used in the armor-penetrating devices that have been used for months now against U.S. troops, the officials said. Also found in these raids were shipping documents, including addresses inside Iraq, bills of lading, trip logs, videos and maps. One map showed Baghdad neighborhoods and other areas in Iraq marked off by religious affiliation. and BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi authorities say they have been quietly taking a bolder stance against Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia, and the United States says it has uncovered evidence that Iran is involved in attacks inside Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Wednesday that security forces in recent days cracked down on the Mehdi Army, part of a politically powerful Shiite movement thought to be in the middle of the Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence in Iraq. He said 400 arrests were made. Al-Maliki has been seen as reluctant to take on the Mehdi Army because support from al-Sadr helped him become prime minister. President Bush's plan to secure Baghdad and the rest of Iraq depends heavily on Iraqi government action against all insurgent groups. (Watch the destruction of bombs detonated in an al-Sadr stronghold ) Al-Maliki indicated he is taking action. "Now about 400 of those linked to the Mehdi Army have been arrested over the past few days, and today in Karbala we conducted an operation against a group that assassinated a member of the Karbala provincial council. They have been detained and brought to Baghdad," al-Maliki said. Al-Maliki said the government had acted against militias in Samawa, Diwaniya and Amara in southern Iraq as well. I think Maliki is finally willing to truly play the neutral leader and reign in both sides using force if need be. It's good to see that the Iraqi government is finally willing to not just take on the sunni side but also the shia.