For a Genius, Condoleezza Rice not making much sense

She served for four years as George W. Bush's National Security Advisor, another four as his Secretary of State; she had been Provost at Stanford, and is an extremely accomplished pianist. By all accounts, Condoleezza Rice is widely accepted as a genius.

So why on earth is she advocating for what would inevitably lead to Muslim Brotherhood control of Syria? After reading her recent op-ed in the Washington Post, there really is no gray area about where she stands, though as a seasoned diplomat, she does her level best to massage her message. Her position is that Assad must fall and Syria must not be allowed to fall into the hands of Iranian control.

Via WaPo:

The fragile state structure of the Middle East has been held together for decades by monarchs and dictators. But as the desire for freedom has spread from Tunis to Cairo to Damascus, authoritarians have lost their grip. The danger now is that the artificial states could fly apart.

What Rice avoids saying is breathtaking. Whatever desire there is for freedom in the Middle East is being snuffed out by new, religious tyrants who are filling the vacuum left by those "monarchs" and "dictators". Simply put, in every country where the 'Arab Spring' has been successful at removing dictators, things have gotten much worse. Egypt's new Muslim Brotherhood leader is consolidating power and that country is increasingly on the brink of civil war; Libya may have elected a secular government but make no mistake; al-Qaeda is calling the shots. Yemen, Tunisia, et. al. are all seeing similar outcomes.

Therefore, why would Rice think Syria would be any different?

Perhaps the answer lies in the very next paragraph:

In Iraq, after overthrowing Saddam Hussein, the United States hoped that a fledging multi-ethnic, multi-confessional democracy could do what authoritarians could not: give all of these groups a stake in a common future. To an extent it has, with elections repeatedly producing inclusive governments. But the institutions are young and fragile, and they are groaning under the weight of the region’s broader sectarian explosion. The conflict in Syria is pushing Iraq and others to the breaking point. At the same time, U.S. disengagement has tempted Iraqi politicians to move toward sectarian allies for survival. If Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki cannot count on the Americans, he will take no risks with Tehran.

Note how Rice comes precariously close to admitting that going into Iraq was a mistake but qualifies it by implying that more time is needed. The notion that the Syrian conflict is pushing Iraq to the "breaking point" is a bit of an exercise in denial. Make no mistake; Iran has all but annexed Iraq and for Rice to assert anything to the contrary presupposes that the Bush strategy still has a chance. It was doomed to failure when the foundation for the new Iraqi constitution was Sharia law; it was a soft surrender.

As Rice points out, Iraq is 65% Shiite; so is al-Maliki Shiite. Counting on Americans would have involved a Constitution that did not have Sharia law. Assuming that al-Maliki was ever interested in true freedom in Iraq, such interest was snuffed out at that point because it meant the Americans could not be counted on.

Rice runs into another problem. Note I did say she only came "precariously close" to admitting failure. Opining that the United States should not support the ouster of Assad would be an admission of failure in Iraq and inconsistent with the broader strategy of her boss, because it would mean that the perceived liberation of people who are ruled by a dictator can lead to greater enslavement, which it has in Iraq, Gaza, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, et. al. Rice almost has to support Assad's overthrow at this point. Advocating the opposite would torpedo the Bush doctrine of democratization in the Middle East.

Comparing Iran to Karl Marx seems to be an attempt - in part - to liken the former to the United States' cold war nemesis. Take note of her reference to a "theocratic flag" and where it flies:

Today’s Karl Marx is Iran. It envisions the spread of its influence among Shiites, uniting them under the theocratic flag of Tehran — destroying the integrity of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Lebanon. Iran uses terrorist groups, Hezbollah and the Shiite militias in southern Iraq to do its bidding. Syria is the linchpin, the bridge into the Arab Middle East. Tehran no longer hides the fact that its security forces are working in Syria to prop up Assad. In this context, Tehran’s sprint toward a nuclear weapon is a problem not just for Israel but the region as a whole.

Few would argue that there are easy answers in the Middle East but Rice seems to be falling into the same trap that so many westerners do. While being rightfully concerned about Iran, there is this inexplicable underestimation of Turkey, which continues to be wrongly viewed as an ally of the West. In reality, Turkey has been making more gains than Iran, in many ways. With every Muslim Brotherhood victory, Turkey is secretly emboldened and its lustful eye for a reestablished Ottoman empire waters a little more with increased anticipatory desire.

While Rice rightfully bemoans the Shia's "theocratic flag of Tehran", she ignores the "theocratic flag" that is being planted all over the Middle East as Turkey quietly sees those flags as representing a resurrected empire in the near future.

Rice continues...

In recent days, France, Britain and Turkey have stepped into the diplomatic vacuum to recognize a newly formed opposition that is broadly representative of all Syrians. The United States should follow their lead and then vet and arm the unified group with defensive weapons on the condition that it pursues an inclusive post-Assad framework. The United States and its allies should also consider establishing a no-fly zone to protect the innocent. America’s weight and influence are needed. Leaving this to regional powers, whose interests are not identical to ours, will only exacerbate the deepening sectarianism.

Certainly there are risks. After more than a year of brutal conflict, the most extreme elements of the opposition — including al-Qaeda — have been empowered. Civil wars tend to strengthen the worst forces. The overthrow of Assad could indeed bring these dangerous groups to power.

But the breakdown of the Middle East state system is a graver risk. Iran will win, our allies will lose, and for decades the region’s misery and violence will make today’s chaos look tame.

It is simply breathtaking to consider that someone of Rice's intellect does not understand the Islamist nature and goals of Turkey's leadership. She then talks about aligning with them and arming the Syrian rebels but under the condition that there is a post-Assad framework and that the rebels who are armed can be trusted (because that's worked out so well to this point).

Then, she demonstrates an unbelievable amount of naiveté relative to history, both old and recent, when she says that the breakdown of the Middle East state system is a graver risk than the Muslim Brotherhood groups ultimately taking control of Syria. If she was truly interested in preserving the "state system", Assad is the better option.

Does she not know that it is Turkey which desires the dissolution of every nation that has fallen to the Brotherhood?  That would also include Syria if Assad falls.

Rice's former boss - George W. Bush - communicated a similar embrace of the 'Arab Spring' in an op-ed he wrote for the Wall Street Journal last May.

For Rice or Bush to admit the truth would require them to admit failure, which they're obviously not willing to do.

Unfortunately, not doing so smacks of both pride an foolishness.

Israeli Officials reject Obama's Stuxnet account

Back in 2010, when news surfaced that Iran's nuclear program had been targeted by the very crippling Stuxnet virus, the origin of Stuxnet remained a mystery, though the U.S. and Israel were primary suspects. Now, thanks to the Obama administration seemingly wanting to take credit for the cyber attack in a way similar to how it has milked the bin Laden raid for political advantage, much of that mystery is gone. At least some Israeli officials feel that it would be better that the truth be known than to let Obama use the virus as a political weapon on the eve of an election.

Via Israel Spy:

They (Israeli officials) said that it was Israeli intelligence that began, a few years earlier, a cyberspace campaign to damage and slow down Iran’s nuclear intentions. And only later they managed to convince the USA to consider a joint operation — which, at the time, was unheard of. Even friendly nations are hesitant to share their technological and intelligence resources against a common enemy. In our book, Spies Against Armageddon, we will reveal much more about the special strategic relations and cooperation between the CIA and the Mossad and the importance given by the Aman (military intelligence) to cyberspace warfare.

Yet my Israeli sources understand the sensitivity and the timing of the issue and are not going to be dragged into a battle over taking credit. “We know that it is the presidential election season,” one Israeli added, ”and don’t want to spoil the party for President Obama and his officials, who shared in a twisted and manipulated way some of the behind-the-scenes secrets of the success of cyberwar.”

Obama is getting sloppy and desperate. Unfortunately, national security is being sacrificed in the process.

h/t GWP

Video: Muslim Congressman channels John Belushi

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) was on the O'Reilly Factor to discuss the situation with Iran possibly getting nuclear weapons. When O'Reilly tried to explain to Ellison that our mindset is reminiscent of the same mindset we had about Hitler before Nazi Germany came to power, Ellison responded by making reference to the attack on Pearl Harbor. O'Reilly's reaction to Ellison at that point was almost as funny as the faux pas itself.

Via Breitbart:



Perhaps Ellison watched Animal House too many times...

Are we already Arming Syrian Rebels?

According to the Syrian rebels' leader, both France and the United States are already arming them, despite the fact that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed opposition to doing so during an interview with CBS (video below). During that interview, Clinton said it would be a mistake to arm the rebels because they consist of both al-Qaeda and now Hamas, which recently pledged support for the opposition.

So how do we explain this, Mrs. Clinton?

Via Russia Today / Eurasia Review:

A general in the opposition militia known as the Free Syria Army has told journalists that the rebels have received French and American military assistance, amid reports of worsening violence in the stricken nation.

In Homs on Tuesday, a general claiming to be from the rebel group appeared on camera and told a journalist from Reuters news agency that “French and American assistance has reached us and is with us.” When asked to elaborate on the nature of the assistance he added, “We now have weapons and anti-aircraft missiles and, God willing, with all of that we will defeat Bashar [President Assad].”

A little further into the article...

This is not the first report of the US covertly supplying the opposition with arms. In December, FBI translator turned whistleblower Sibel Edmonds said she believed the US had been training the Syrian opposition in neighboring Turkey and supplying arms to the country from Incirlik military base close to the Turkish-Syrian border.

In addition, Qatar and Saudi Arabia reportedly held secret meetings to offer financial support to the Syrian rebels to buy weapons.

Turkey's involvement is key because the Islamic caliphate sought by the Muslim Brotherhood would be based in Turkey. If these reports are true, it means the United States is actively working with Turkey to further the cause of the Muslim Brotherhood.

So why would the Secretary of State claim that arming the rebels would be a mistake while her country is arming them at the same time? Amid news reports that al-Qaeda and Hamas are among the rebels she couldn't come out publicly and say we're doing it if, in fact we are. Say, isn't that mentality similar to the one that seems to have been prevalent in Operation Fast and Furious?

Either way, even if the Russia Today report is false, it's still propaganda that can be used by Russia, China, and Iran. All three of those entities support Assad and our arming of the rebels provokes all of those countries unnecessarily while aiding an increasingly powerful Muslim Brotherhood.

***UPDATE*** 3/1/12: Sibel Edmonds cannot be considered a reliable source for this story. She is also a 9/11 Truther. Until there are more credible, corroborating reports about the U.S. supplying arms to the Syrian rebels, the claim cannot be confirmed.

Here is the CBS interview with Clinton, via Shoebat:



h/t Weasel Zippers 

Video: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman on Arming Syrian Rebels

File this one in the "Someone at the top is making some sense," category. General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told CNN's Fareed Zakaria that the United States should not rush into a decision to arm the Syrian rebels. Though such a position might cause John McCain to get red in the face and Lindsey Graham to stomp and stammer, it's an extremely wise position.

Via CNN:

The United States is not interested in providing weapons to opposition forces in Syria until it has a better picture of what those forces are, the top U.S. military officer said in an interview aired Sunday.

"I think it's premature to take a decision to arm the opposition movement in Syria, because I would challenge anyone to clearly identify for me the opposition movement in Syria at this point," Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS."

More than 50 prominent U.S. conservatives signed an open letter last week urging the Obama administration to "take immediate action" against the Syrian regime, including "self-defense aid" to an armed opposition led by defected government troops. Among the signatories were some of the leading voices in support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, as well as the former head of the U.S.-led occupation government there. 

And Sen. Joe Lieberman told CNN last week that a "coalition of the willing" should assist Syria's opposition forces since Syrian allies Russia and China vetoed action at the United Nations. Lieberman, a Democrat-turned-independent who was also a leading Iraq hawk, said the United States and its allies could provide the rebels with medical aid, communications and ultimately, weapons.

It is simply AMAZING that supposedly intelligent people are so completely oblivious to what is going on with the Muslim Brotherhood. McCain, Graham, and Lieberman cannot possibly be this clueless, can they? In every instance so far where there has been the removal of a dictator during the Arab Spring, the Muslim Brotherhood is filling the void. Why on earth would these people advocate for such a scenario in Syria? Perhaps it's because muruna is working.



h/t Hot Air

Now John McCain wants to Arm Syrian Rebels

Seriously, Senator John McCain is proving to be very dangerous to his country. He continues to say and do things that feed right into the Muslim Brotherhood's hands. It is truly amazing to watch. Despite video of the Syrian rebels with al-Qaeda flags behind them, McCain - along with RINO Lindsey Graham - want to provide them support in the form of weapons.

Via The Hill:

Two prominent Republican U.S. senators urged that the United States arm opposition forces in Syria Sunday as the government of Bashar al-Assad continued a bloody crackdown on the protests that have engulfed the nation.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who both serve on the Senate Armed Services committee, argued that arming rebel fighters in the country could help beat back a Syrian government with close ties to Iran.

“Breaking Syria apart from Iran could be as important to containing a nuclear Iran as sanctions,” Graham said at a press conference in Kabul, according to the New York Times. “If the Syrian regime is replaced with another form of government that doesn’t tie its future to the Iranians, the world is a better place.”

What these two buffoons don't seem to understand is that if Syria falls into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood, the situation there would be much worse. Arming the rebels is the worst possible thing we could do. Not only does it help a Muslim Brotherhood that is growing increasingly powerful but it also angers Iran. I'm all for being tough with Iran but getting in the middle of a dog fight and siding with the bigger of the two dogs is the quintessential lose / lose scenario.

“I believe there are ways to get weapons to the opposition without direct United States involvement,” McCain said. “The Iranians and the Russians are providing Bashar Assad with weapons. People that are being massacred deserve to have the ability to defend themselves.”

“So I am not only not opposed, but I am in favor of weapons being obtained by the opposition,” McCain added.

Not sure why McCain in particular is so thick-headed but for some reason, America's leaders are simply out to lunch when it comes to the Muslim Brotherhood. Remember James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, saying this last year?

This was either perjury or a level of incompetence so severe, he should have been fired.

Iran and Turkey have a Syria-ous Problem

The 'Arab Spring' that has been ongoing for a year now is as much (if not more) about the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan) as it is about removing dictators. The Ikhwan seeks a return of the Ottoman Empire, which was centered in what is today Turkey. To varying degrees, the Muslim Brotherhood has gained control of the countries on the map that have red arrows pointing to them. This benefits Turkey tremendously.

Over the last several years, Iran and Turkey have had an alliance of convenience but the situation in Syria is putting great strain on that alliance. Syria, which borders Iraq to its east, Lebanon to its west, and Turkey to its north has essentially been an arm of Iran under the Assad regime. Assad has allowed his country to act as a funnel for weapons and Hezbollah fighters into Lebanon. Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, those efforts were more difficult.

With the removal of Saddam Hussein and the subsequent withdrawal of American troops from Iraq more than eight years later, Iran has essentially gained control of Iraq. At least one high-ranking cabinet member inside the Iraqi government is also a high-ranking Quds official with loyalties to the Ayatollah; his name is Hadi al-Ameri. That someone like him would hold the position of Transportation Minister in Nouri al-Maliki's government is a serious red flag that signals Iran has already annexed Iraq.

In this behind-the-scenes struggle between Turkey and Iran, the latter has control of Iraq, which also shares a border with Turkey to its north. This makes Syria all that more important for both countries. If Assad is removed from power, the Brotherhood will most assuredly attempt to wrest control for the larger Ottoman movement. Despite its public stance, Turkey is licking its chops over the possibility of acquiring Syria. It would be a huge victory for the Ikhwan and a huge defeat for Iran, which will not give this up easily, however.

As long as Assad is in power, Iran's guy is running the country. When and if he ultimately steps down or is removed, Iran will do all it can to ensure Syria does not come under the control of the Brotherhood.

At that point, Israel could take a back seat in the minds of Iran and Turkey. Syria is that important. As both nations fight over Syria, the mask that has been hiding much of the geopolitics in the region could slip significantly. Turkey's desire for stealth could be more difficult to maintain. In either case, Iran has far more to lose relative to Syria than does Turkey but the latter country has far more to gain if it gets control.

In this game of chicken, Syria is like a piece of meat Iran desperately wants to keep on its plate. Conversely, the Muslim Brotherhood desperately wants to gobble it up for its master - Turkey.

h/t Shoebat

Report: Iran working with al-Qaeda

When US federal district judge ruled, after eight years, that Iran and Hezbollah were behind 9/11 and worked closely with al-Qaeda to coordinate the attacks, it was shockingly not all that newsworthy. It meant that Iran hit the United States in the same way that Japan did at Pearl Harbor. It was a bombshell met with virtual silence.

Now, we have real time evidence that Iran is currently working with al-Qaeda at a time when the former is threatening terror attacks on American soil.

Via Fox News:

U.S. officials say they believe Iran recently gave new freedoms to as many as five top Al Qaeda operatives who have been under house arrest, including the option to leave the country, and may have provided some material aid to the terrorist group.

The men, who were detained in Iran in 2003, make up Al Qaeda's so-called management council, a group that includes members of the inner circle that advised Usama bin Laden and an explosives expert widely considered a candidate for a top post in the organization.

Of course, there are libertarians out there who don't want to believe any of this.

Skeptics caution that intelligence on Iran's activities is limited and worry that some policy makers might use provocative reports to justify military action against Tehran. Iran has denied any connection with Al Qaeda.

U.S. officials believe there have been recent indications that officials in the Iranian government have provided Al Qaeda operatives in Iran limited assistance, including logistical help, money and cars, according to a person briefed on the developments.

If those "skeptics" ever read about Havlish v. Iran,  et. al, their skepticism would be more than assuaged.

You can read all about Havlish HERE. 

Is Obama Administration letting Iran off the Hook for Murder of Marines?

In December of last year, a US federal district judge ruled that Iran and Hezbollah were behind the 9/11 attacks. In 2007, a US federal district judge ruled that Iran was liable for the attack on US Marines in Lebanon in 1983 and ordered Tehran to pony up $2.65 Billion.

Now, the World Tribune is reporting that the Obama administration is blocking legislation that would require the ruling be upheld and enforced.

President Barack Obama, in a bid to reconcile with the Teheran regime, has blocked legislation that would hold Iran accountable for the Hizbullah bombing that killed 241 U.S. Marines in 1983.

A survivors group has asserted that the administration is pressuring Democrats in Congress not to support a bill that would enforce massive judgements against Iran by the families of the Marines. In 2007, a U.S. federal district court judge found Iran liable for the Beirut bombing and ordered Teheran to pay $2.65 billion in damages.

“This administration talks a lot about sanctions, but we know Iran is watching this case closely and, astonishingly, Obama’s people are taking Iran’s side,” Lynn Smith Derbyshire, a lobbyist for the legislation, said.

Let's not forget that Obama welcomed Hadi al-Ameri into the Oval Office about ten days before Judge George Daniel ruled Iran was responsible for 9/11. Al-Ameri, though a member of the Iraqi government, is and has been an agent for Iran with strong loyalties to the Ayatollah.

h/t Shoebat:

Ayatollah orders Attacks; Colleague of man given the order Visited White House

The recent assassination of one of Iran's nuclear scientists has apparently prompted the Ayatollah to dispatch Hezbollah to commit terror attacks through the head of the Al Quds Brigade. That man's name is Gen. Qasem Soleimani. That name is made more relevant by the fact that a close associate of Soleimani was recently given the red carpet treatment by the White House.

But first, the Ayatollah's order.

Via WND:

Iran is taking several steps to help Syria’s beleaguered President Bashar Assad, assassinate opposition figures and attack Israeli and American interests worldwide, sources have confirmed.

After the recent assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, deputy director of the first uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered retaliation.

He instructed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the chief commander of the Quds Forces, to prepare the ground for terrorist attacks, first to retaliate against assassination and espionage within the Iranian nuclear program, and second, to go on the offensive to make the West understand that any military action against Iran will create much instability in the world.

Some might remember an article from earlier this month that highlighted a federal judge's ruling that Iran and Hezbollah were behind 9/11. In that report, Hadi al-Ameri's connection to Iran was explored. It was relevant because he was welcomed into the Oval Office on December 12th of last year. Here is a screen shot of al-Ameri in the Oval Office as part of an Iraqi delegation. Yes, Iraqi delegation. Al-Ameri is Iraq's Transportation Minister and has obvious loyalties to the Ayatollah:

As part of the research for that article, an Arabic document that had been translated drew a very distinct connection between Soleimani and al-Ameri. Here is an excerpt from that 2005 document:

Hadi Farhan Abdullah Al Ameri, known as "Abu Hassan Al Ameri", is currently leading Badr Organization and is one of the figures that are directly connected to the Iranian Al Quds Brigade.

Al Ameri's journey started with the Shiite opposition, by the beginning of the 80s, when he left Iraq to Jordan, where he remained for a few days before moving to Syria. In Syria, he contacted the Supreme Council and he was transported to Iran. He spent all the following years there.

Al Ameri holds the Iranian nationality under the name of Hassan Ameri and his wife is Iranian. He usually visits Iran and meets with Qassem Sulaimani, the head of Al Quds Brigade, under the Iranian guard forces, on a regular basis.

While being in Iran, Al Ameri played a role in torturing the Iraqi prisoners, who were captured by Iran during the Iraqi-Iranian war. Prisoners who returned from there accuse him of being the cruelest against them. This role helped him to reach the status that he occupies in the eyes of the Iranians.

Fox News reported on al-Ameri's visit back in December. Here is the video report:

Video: All American Muslim Imam Caught on tape Again

Remember this guy? When the controversy over Lowe's pulling its advertising from the TLC program, All American Muslim, we learned that they were justified in light of the fact that this Imam - Husham Alhusayni - has expressed support for Hezbollah and Iran. Now there is video of Alhusayni supporting terrorism and genocide.

Via Shoebat:

Duh: Violence in Iraq up after US Exit

Like this wasn't predictable. Obama's decision to pull our troops out of Iraq in the days before Christmas was a direct appeal to his far left base for 2012. It was also made more politically palatable because of the exploding national debt, for which he is largely responsible. The consequence of his decision, however, has been increased violence in Iraq.

Via Washington Post:

Violence appears to have increased sharply since U.S. troops left Iraq a month ago, as insurgents have unleashed a wave of furious bombings targeting Baghdad neighborhoods, Shiite pilgrims and police facilities in Sunni areas.

The deadly attacks have roots not only in the troops’ departure but also in a domestic political crisis that erupted in its wake. Shiite and Sunni leaders have squared off in a power struggle, one that analysts say insurgents are trying to turn into a full-scale civil war. How the politicians handle their own mess, and the attacks, will determine Iraq’s ability to hold itself together.

There are multiple indications that Iraq's Shiite government is closely aligned with Iran. Iraq's Transportation Minister, Hadi al-Ameri, has a long history of allegiance to Iran. Here he is bowing to and kissing the hand of the Ayatollah:



Back to the Post article:

U.S. officials never promised the transition would be easy. At a ceremony in Baghdad two days before the last troops left, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta sounded a note of caution.

“Let me be clear, Iraq will be tested in the days ahead — by terrorism, by those who would seek to divide, by economic and social issues, by the demands of democracy itself,” he said.


Even as Panetta was speaking, security forces loyal to Maliki, a Shiite, were moving to arrest Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, a Sunni, on charges that he used his bodyguards to run a terrorism squad. Hashimi fled to a semiautonomous region of Kurdistan, where leaders provided refuge even as Maliki demanded his return to Baghdad to face trial. At the same time, Sunni leaders walked out of parliament and boycotted cabinet positions to protest what they said was Maliki’s move to create a Shiite-controlled dictatorship.

Making this more noteworthy is that Shiite al-Ameri is a confirmed terrorist, yet he is in Iraq's cabinet while the Sunni Vice President had to flee to avoid arrest.

Such things make the words of US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta one month before the Iraq pullout quite puzzling; they should prompt some major head-scratching:

"My view is that the region largely rejects Iran and its intentions. And I think Iraq is at the top of that list."

Again, in light of al-Ameri's prominence in the Iraqi government (he was given the red carpet treatment by the Oval Office on December 12th) and the arrest warrant of the Sunni Vice President, Panetta's statements to Senate Armed Services Committee one month before the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq are belied by the facts.

h/t Hapblog

Iran: U.S. Behind Assassination; Federal U.S. Court: Iran Behind 9/11

Well, well, well. Iran says it has evidence that the United States was behind the assassination of the nuclear scientist earlier this week. The United States has evidence Iran was behind 9/11 and an assortment of other terror attacks in the 1990's so we're nowhere close to being even.

Via Reuters:

Iranian state television said on Saturday Tehran had evidence Washington was behind the latest assassination of one of its nuclear scientists.

In the fifth attack of its kind in two years, a magnetic bomb was attached to the door of 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan's car during the Wednesday morning rush-hour in the capital. His driver was also killed.

The United States has denied involvement in the killing and condemned it. Israel has declined to comment.

"We have reliable documents and evidence that this terrorist act was planned, guided and supported by the CIA," the Iranian foreign ministry said in a letter handed to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, state TV reported.

"The documents clearly show that this terrorist act was carried out with the direct involvement of CIA-linked agents."

Meanwhile, less than one month ago, a federal judge ruled in a U.S. district court in Manhattan that Iran was behind the 9/11 attacks. The plaintiffs didn't just produce a smoking gun; they produced a "blazing cannon."

Among the findings:

A May 14, 2001 memorandum from inside the Iranian government demonstrating that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was aware of the impending attacks and instructing intelligence operatives to restrict communications to existing contacts with al Qaeda's Ayman al Zawahiri and Hizballah's Imad Mughniyah. - Documents obtained from German federal prosecutors showing that 9/11 coordinator Ramzi Binalshihb traveled to Iran in January 2001 on his way to Afghanistan to brief Osama bin Laden on the plot's progress. - Evidence from the 9/11 Commission Report that a "senior Hezbollah operative," which the Havlish evidence identifies as Hezbollah terrorist chief Imad Mughniyah, coordinated activities in Saudi Arabia and was present (or his associate) on flights the hijackers took to and from Beirut and Iran. 9/11 COMMISSION REPORT at pp. 240-41. Mughniyah, a longtime agent of Iran, orchestrated a string of terror operations against the U.S. and Israel during the 1980s and 1990s. He was assassinated in Syria in February of 2008.

Attorneys emphasized that it is important to understand that Iran, Hezbollah, and al Qaeda formed a terror alliance in the early 1990s. The attorneys cited their national security and intelligence experts, including Dr. Patrick Clawson, Dr. Bruce Tefft, Clare Lopez, Kenneth Timmerman, Dr. Ronen Bergman, Edgar Adamson, and 9/11 Commission staff members Dietrich Snell, Dr. Daniel Byman, and Janice Kephart, as well as the published writings of Robert Baer, to explain how the pragmatic terror leaders overcame the Sunni-Shi'a divide in order to confront the U.S. (the "Great Satan") and Israel (the "Lesser Satan"). Iran and Hezbollah then provided training to members of al Qaeda in, among other things, the use of explosives to destroy large buildings. The Iran-Hezbollah-al Qaeda alliance led to terror strikes against the U.S. at Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia (1996), the simultaneous U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania (1998), and the USS Cole (2000). Shortly after the Cole attack, Iran was facilitating the international travel of the 9/11 hijackers.

Iran should be thanking us for not having done more to them, if indeed, we had anything to do with the nuclear scientist's death. By the way, if Iran was behind the Khobar Towers bombing, someone still needs to explain why Hadi al-Ameri was given the red carpet treatment by the Oval office just last month.

More HERE.

Video: Ron Paul shows his Love for Iran

In the wake of the Iranian nuclear scientist who was assassinated with a car bomb, Ron Paul seems to jump to the defense of Iran here. In fact, right off the bat, Paul says, "We should empathize with them" and calls Iran "victims of terrorism." A little later, he refers to Iran as "a very weak nation" and that "they don't want trouble." Paul proceeds to call "the idea that (Iran) is looking for a fight," nothing more than a "concoction," which only garners more sympathy for a country found to have been behind the 9/11 attacks just last month.

Pay attention at the 3:40 mark. Fox's Megyn Kelly asks Paul what he would do as President if Iran followed through with its threat to shut down the straits of Hormuz. His answer? There really isn't one. He makes an attempt to say withdrawing the sanctions would prevent them from doing such a thing. He then seems convinced that Iran would never shut down the straits.

As I watched this, I kept waiting for this guy to unzip his body suit and Jimmy Carter to be revealed.



h/t Hapblog

Video: US Troops Urinating on Dead Taliban (and Selective Media Outrage)

The left wing media is already calling this Abu Ghraib II. A video that allegedly shows American troops urinating on dead Taliban insurgents is getting all kinds of attention and once again, the media has a far bigger problem with this than it does with, say, a murderous, cruel, and barbaric terrorist being given the red carpet treatment by the White House just last month.

Before getting to the video of US troops showing ill-advised treatment of barbarians who would have tortured those soldiers endlessly if they had the chance, let's have a look at Hadi al-Ameri; he was invited to the Oval Office last month as a member of an Iraqi delegation; al-Ameri is Iraq's Minister of Transportation.

Al-Ameri, according to a Jordanian source known as Al-Malaf Net, identified al-Ameri as a brutal terrorist who has been the head of an Iranian force known as Badr. He is also a member of al Quds, Iranian's elite military wing.

Fox News reported on the outrage of the victims of the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996. They were livid at the invitation of al-Ameri to the White House. Unlike the endless coverage we're likely to see about what US troops dead to Taliban corpses, the al-Ameri story was rather short-lived.

Translated documents reveal that al-Ameri seemed to climb up through the ranks of the Iranian power structure by making American troops at Abu Ghraib look like pikers:

While being in Iran, Al Ameri played a role in torturing the Iraqi prisoners, who were captured by Iran during the Iraqi-Iranian war. Prisoners who returned from there accuse him of being the cruelest against them. This role helped him to reach the status that he occupies in the eyes of the Iranians.

A tortuous, terrorist agent of Iran - who likely has the blood of Americans on his hands - is welcomed into the White House without any real media coverage to speak of while American troops urinating on dead Taliban insurgents is going to get wall to wall coverage.

Compare what al-Ameri has done with this.

Video via Washington Post:



Here is video of al-Ameri bowing and kissing the Ayatollah. If we were dealing with a responsible media, this would get FAR MORE attention than the video above:

Timmerman: Ron Paul Loved by Iranian Regime

This is an extremely disturbing development in light of the recent federal court ruling in the southern district of New York that found Iran and Hezbollah to be behind 9/11. Kenneth Timmerman, who was an expert witness in Havlish et al. v. Iran et al., makes a strong case that Iran is supporting Ron Paul for president.

Via AIM:

The Iranian regime’s English language propaganda channel, PressTV, has discovered a new American idol: presidential contender Rep. Ron Paul.

PressTV has stepped up its coverage of Paul’s campaign to win the Republican presidential nomination in recent weeks, featuring his anti-Israel rants, his claim that sanctions against Iran are “acts of war,” his approval of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and much more.

The Iranian government channel portrays Ron Paul as an American hero, and brings on conspiracy theorists masquerading as political “analysts” to laud him for  “challenging the American establishment” and the “corporate neo-conservative Zionist consensus,” that cabal of Jews, banksters, and Reagan Democrats who in Tehran’s eyes (and in the eyes of these Ron Paul supporters) run the world.

It’s a script taken almost word-for-word from the infamous anti-Semitic forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Press TV, which is a media arm of the Iranian regime, is singing Ron Paul's praises in ways not all that dissimilar from how Debbie Wasserman-Schultz praises Obama. Here are some Ron Paul sound clips featured by Press TV via Timmerman's piece:

“Just think of how many nuclear weapons surround Iran. The Chinese are there, the Indians are there, the Pakistanis are there, the Israelis are there, the United States is there. All these countries—China has nuclear weapons! Wouldn’t it be natural that they might want a weapon? Internationally, they’d be given more respect… They have no evidence that they are working on a weapon. “Paul blasts US policy on Iran, Aug. 12, 2011.

“I think we’re looking for trouble because we put these horrendous sanctions on Iran… Sanctions against Iran are definite steps toward a US attack.” “Iran sanctions ‘acts of war’: Ron Paul,” Dec. 31, 2011; “Ron Paul raps US hostility toward Iran,” Jan. 7, 2012.

“Iran’s leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had never mentioned any intention of wiping Israel off the map.” Quick Facts: Ron Paul on US Foreign Policy, Dec. 24, 2011.

“Iran is not a physical threat to us. They do not have capabilities. The stories you might hear about them being on the verge of a nuclear weapon is not true by our CIA and by the United Nations. They are not on the verge of it.” Quick Facts: Ron Paul on US Foreign Policy, Dec. 24, 2011.

“Who are they [Iran] going to bomb? If they had one or two bombs, they are going to bomb Israel? Israel has 300 of them! And our submarines all around there passing and everything else.” Quick Facts: Ron Paul on US Foreign Policy, Dec. 24, 2011.

“I think they’re acting in self-defense… That is a gross distortion of this debate that they’re on the verge of a nuclear weapon.” Ron Paul defends his anti-war policies, Dec. 16, 2011

“At least our leaders and Reagan talked to the Soviets. What is so terribly bad about this? Countries you put sanctions on, you are more likely to fight them. I say a policy of peace is free trade, stay out of their internal business. Do not get involved in these wars and bring our troops home.” Ron Paul blasts US policy on Iran, Aug. 12, 2011

Then, of course, there is the fact that Paul touts Robert Pape's foreign policy views; Pape reportedly has ties to CAIR. It would seem that we might be learning a little bit more about why Paul always seems to defend the Islamists.

Read all of Timmerman's piece.

Iran Blaming United States for Iraq Bombing

In light of what is now known about the Iraqi government having extremely close ties to Iran - Iraq's Transportation Minister, Hadi al-Ameri is an Iranian agent and terrorist - this may be a level of audacity that trumps all others. An Iranian cleric has actually asserted that the rash of bombings which have been taking place in Iraq since the United States left, have been perpetrated by, well, the United States. Why? Because we wanted to take our revenge out on the Iraqis for being glad we left.

Via Iranian Press TV:

“To take revenge on Iraqis for their joy over the withdrawal of the occupying [American] forces, the US commissioned consecutive bombings and killings in Iraq in order to [also] convey that the Americans were the source of peace in the country and that their withdrawal created instability,” said Hojjatoleslam Kazem Seddiqi said on Friday.

The Iranian cleric added that the presence of American forces in Iraq resulted in Muslim hatred and international loathing for the US, emphasizing that Shia, Sunni, Kurd and Arab all wanted US troops out of Iraq.

Seddiqi advised the Iraqi nation to maintain unity and continue resistance to thwart enemy plots.

Iraq has witnessed a surge in violence and bombing attacks over the past few weeks.

It was recently learned that a Federal US Judge ruled Iran was behind the 9/11 attacks. If true, we exacted punishment on Iran by giving them Iraq, which is the consequence of what we've done. As if that wasn't despicable enough (Iran should be thanking us), we're being blamed for the violence in Iraq, not as a result of our leaving Iraq but because of our anger toward Iraqis for being glad we did.

In reality, the most recent bombing appears to have been committed by Sunnis against Shi'ites; the latter makes up the majority of the Iraqi government that we helped to install.

This is victimology on steroids.

h/t GWP

The 9/11 Commission Report - Part II

Former legal counsel to the 9/11 Commission, Janice Kephart is a border / immigration expert who was an integral part of the 9/11 Commission, which concluded that Iran and Hezbollah were likely involved in the 9/11 attacks. The Commission recommended that the United States Government (USG) pursue those leads. USG never followed up but a private sector law firm did. That law firm's conclusions shine an even bigger spotlight on the Obama administration's decision to give an Iran-sponsored terrorist the red carpet treatment.

The 9/11 Commission Report - Part II
Walid Shoebat and Ben Barrack

If the government has Ten Commandments, the game of politics, not homeland security, would be at the top of the list. Eager to play the game, the Obama Administration pulled out of Iraq in time for Christmas as it welcomed Iran’s puppets into the Oval Office. The Iraqi delegation, headed by Nouri al-Maliki, included a conspirator in Iran’s terror campaigns—the Iraqi Minister of Transportation, Hadi al-Ameri.

To quash the voices of survivors and victims' families who linked al-Ameri to American deaths in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, the Obama administration replied, “There is no evidence of Hadi al-Ameri's involvement in any act of violence against U.S. Citizens.”

However, when dots are connected, they point to al-Ameri being an Iranian agent—a first-class terrorist. Ten days after al-Ameri's visit to the White House, US District Judge George B. Daniels signed a 53 page document in Havlish v. Iran that included 276 Statements of Fact and 35 Conclusions of Law in his ruling that the 9/11 attacks were the result of an “Iran-Hezbollah-al Qaeda alliance.” The document showed one Abolghasem Mesbahi—who had defected years earlier after receiving a tip from a colleague that he was on the regime's kill list while working for Iran’s Ministry of Information and Security (MOIS)—testified that MOIS gave material support to Hezbollah. His credible testimony included three coded messages he received in the weeks leading up to the 9/11 attacks from contacts he had inside Iran.

The case revealed that Imad Mughniyah, once Iran's notorious Hezbollah leader, was involved in coordinating and facilitating the 9/11 attacks and committed “numerous terrorist operations against American citizens.” He cracked the FBI's “Most Wanted” list for twenty-one years but al-Ameri’s terrorist rap sheet puts him on par with Mughniyah, whose connection with the Iranian Revolution is not without significance. Arabic translations surfaced from Al-Malaf Net in Amman, Jordan; they uncovered top-secret documents years ago that identified Al-Ameri as:

“...the most prominent identity in this equation. He possesses all the keys relating to the connections with Iran and is in charge of the strongest security authority in Iraq at present—Badr Organization… [al-Ameri] is a high-ranking member in the Central Committee of the institution, known as the Central Authority; it is the largest security/military organization in Iraq that plans and executes dozens of military and security operations against Iran's opposition in various Iraqi cities, on a daily basis. He works directly under the command of Abdel Aziz Al Hakim.”

The documents show that al-Ameri’s Badr is the...

“Central Authority, which  receives its Fatwas for assassination operations directly from Khamenei's office. Targets are specified in coordination with the command of the Iranian Ramadan Base. Hence, any agreed upon operation is executed.”

One such document (pictured) discusses working with the Badr terrorist forces for the purpose of liquidating opponents, controlling the media, and using weapons and provisions provided by the Iranian revolution, to combat “Anglo-American” forces.

Havlish identified Al Quds Brigade, of which al-Ameri is a member, as the “foreign division” of another defendant in Havlish, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Al Quds is responsible for overseas terrorism and named one of the “most... violent terrorist organizations in the world.” Al-Ameri's membership in Al Quds was translated to include the names of agents and victims, as well as his Iranian Al Quds secret file number (10074) and bank account number (3014) into which over 2 million Iranian riyals a month was to be paid as blood monies for carrying out acts of terrorism. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, his religious obedience to Iran’s Islamist regime is quite visual in that al-Ameri can be seen bowing and kissing (video below) the hand of his Fuhrer—the Ayatollah himself. Iran's Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran identifies al-Ameri as having been responsible for 150 terrorist operations over a period of time during which the Khobar Towers were bombed.


Janice Kephart, former staff counsel to the 9/11 Commission, was interviewed for this article and explained why these recent discoveries were absent from the 9/11 Commission Report; there wasn't sufficient time to further develop the intelligence prior to its release. Kephart referred to pages 240 – 241, adding that al-Qaeda members avoided having their passports stamped by Iranian border inspectors; and between 8 to 10 of the 9/11 hijackers traveled into or out of Iran prior to 9/11. Kephart concluded that “The document signed by Judge Daniels really represents part two of the 9/11 Commission Report.” “We showed a tangential connection between al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Iran but after several years, the plaintiffs' attorneys in Havlish really got to the heart of that relationship, and it was extensive.” Senior Counsel for 9/11 Commission staff, Dietrich Snell also submitted an affidavit that corroborated this ‘Iranian connection’ evidence.

Al-Ameri's Oval Office visit occurred despite the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the United States government (USG) explore Iran's involvement in 9/11. Instead, it took a private law firm spending several years doing what the USG would not, while the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta falsely stated:

“...my view is that the region largely rejects Iran and its intentions and I think Iraq is at the top of that list.”

Accuracy in Media's Cliff Kincaid detailed Panetta's close personal friendship with Communist Party member Hugh DeLacy. The two exchanged letters revealing that then-congressman Panetta pledged to show DeLacy “a series of documents on military and foreign policy matters.”

While some might overlook the red carpet treatment given to terrorist al-Ameri as diplomacy, Obama's recent attempts to build ties with Egypt's notorious Muslim Brotherhood will eventually prove to be catastrophic; the entire Middle East has been presented to Islamists on an altar made bloody by thousands of American soldiers and civilians.

After all, it is an election year and politics is the first Commandment.

Former 9/11 Commission Counsel on Iran being behind 9/11

In February of 2002, Fiona Havlish filed suit against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hezbollah, and others for their complicity in the September 11th attacks. Havlish's husband, who was on the 101st floor of the South Tower was one of the murdered victims. Nearly ten years later, on December 23rd, 2011, U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels found for the plaintiff and signed a 53 page document that included hundreds of 'statements of fact' and 'legal conclusions.'

Former 9/11 Commission legal counsel and border security expert, Janice Kephart has been intimately involved in the case for years and even submitted an affidavit. She sums up the case in a Washington Times piece:

On July 23, 2001, a former senior Iranian intelligence officer, Abolghasem Mr. Mesbahi, learned that Iran’s plan to strike the United States had been activated. Mr. Mesbahi knew it was important and real because he had worked on this plan previously, when he had helped set up Iran’s intelligence service, the MOIS, as far back as the mid-1980s. Mr. Mesbahi - known outside Iran as one of a core of “Assassins”- told German intelligence, which had given him protected status as a key witness in German prosecutions of brutal Iranian assassinations of dozens of dissidents.

On Aug. 13, 2001, Mr. Mesbahi received greater specificity as to the plot. The coded messages from former colleagues inside Iran revealed that the longtime plan to crash civilian airliners into American cities had been activated. Again, the officer told his German handlers, who responded that they would convey the information - we do not know if they did or to whom or exactly what information they might have passed on - and the Germans would let Mr. Mesbahi know if there were any developments. On Aug. 27, 2001, Mr. Mesbahi once more received confirmation that the plan was in motion, and the messages indicated a German connection. The 9/11 Commission would later confirm that key 9/11 liaison Ramzi Binalshibh and pilots Mohammad Atta and Ziad Jarrah were all German residents leading up to Sept. 11.

After Sept. 11, Mr. Mesbahi approached an American he knew was well-versed in Iranian affairs and told him of his foreknowledge of the Sept. 11 plan and how the plot to crash the then existing Boeing 747 aircraft into New York, Washington and Chicago had evolved in Iran years prior. The Pentagon, White House and World Trade Center had been on the hit list. Back in the 1980s, Iran had decided, he said, that to defeat the United States, it needed to engage in asymmetric warfare.

As I wrote about here, Mesbahi was a huge piece of the puzzle that showed Iran's involvement. The other huge piece to the puzzle was a Hezbollah leader named Imad Mughniyah; he was that group's liaison with al-Qaeda:

How did Iran get involved with al Qaeda? According to the Lopez-Tefft affidavit and other expert affidavits in the case, as well as convicted former Osama bin Laden bodyguard Ali Mohamed, the alliance began in 1993 in Khartoum, Sudan, in a meeting between Iranian and Hezbollah leadership with al Qaeda leadership to bridge the Shiite-Sunni gap and address common goals of defeating Israel and the United States. A direct working relationship was created between Iran’s MOIS; Hezbollah’s operational chief and key liaison with Iran, Imad Mughniyah; Osama bin Laden; and other senior al Qaeda leadership. Mughniyah himself was responsible for more than 100 terrorist incidents until his assassination in Syria in 2008.

This trial appears to have revealed the smoking gun of the 9/11 attacks and Iran is holding it.

Read it all.

Verdict: Iran and Hezbollah behind 9/11 Attacks

This is by far and away, the most underreported story of 2011. In fact, it may be the biggest story of 2011 but went almost completely unnoticed. A case filed in 2002, by the families of 9/11 victims, has taken nine years to reach a verdict. That verdict is that Iran, its Ayatollahs, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (IRGC), The Ministry of Information and Security (MOIS), Hezbollah, and others were responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

Via Iran 911 Case:

A federal district court in Manhattan yesterday entered a historic ruling that reveals new facts about Iran's support of al Qaeda in the 9/11 attacks. U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels ruled yesterday that Iran and Hezbollah materially and directly supported al Qaeda in the September 11, 2001 attacks and are legally responsible for damages to hundreds of family members of 9/11 victims who are plaintiffs in the case.

Judge Daniels had announced his ruling in Havlish, et al. v. bin Laden, et al., in open court on Thursday, December 15, 2011, following a three-hour courtroom presentation by the families' attorneys. Judge Daniels entered a written Order of Judgment yesterday backed by 53 pages of detailed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.

Fiona Havlish, whose husband Donald perished in the World Trade Center North Tower on 9/11 said, "This is a historic day. For ten years we've wanted the truth to be known about who was responsible for our losses. Now we have that answer."

Key evidence was obtained by an Iranian defector who was referred to in the 2004 9/11 Commission report as Witness X, but not named until 2008, during the trial:

Witness X, whose dramatic testimony was previously filed under seal, was revealed to be Abolghasem Mesbahi, a former MOIS operative in charge of Iran's espionage operations in Western Europe. Judge Daniels found that Mesbahi has testified in numerous prosecutions of Iranian and Hezbollah terrorists, including the Mykonos case in Germany and the AMIA case in Argentina, and found to be highly reliable and credible.

Judge Daniels also credited Mesbahi's testimony that he received messages during the summer of 2001 from inside the Iranian government that an Iranian contingency plan for unconventional warfare against the U.S. called "Shaitan dar Atash" had been activated. "This is compelling proof that Iran was deeply involved in the 9/11 conspiracy," said Tim Fleming, lead investigative attorney for the Havlish group.

A key figure connecting Iran to the attacks was a senior Hezbollah leader named Imad Mughniyah, who was assassinated in Syria on February 14, 2008. Coincidentally, that was the same month that Mesbahi's identity began to surface. Here is one of the findings of U.S. District Judge George Daniels:

A May 14, 2001 memorandum from inside the Iranian government demonstrating that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was aware of the impending attacks and instructing intelligence operatives to restrict communications to existing contacts with al Qaeda's Ayman al Zawahiri and Hizballah's Imad Mughniyah. - Documents obtained from German federal prosecutors showing that 9/11 coordinator Ramzi Binalshihb traveled to Iran in January 2001 on his way to Afghanistan to brief Osama bin Laden on the plot's progress. - Evidence from the 9/11 Commission Report that a "senior Hezbollah operative," which the Havlish evidence identifies as Hezbollah terrorist chief Imad Mughniyah, coordinated activities in Saudi Arabia and was present (or his associate) on flights the hijackers took to and from Beirut and Iran.

This is by no means insignificant. It puts Iran on par with 1941 Japan. If Iran was behind the 9/11 attacks, it was an act of war that demands a Declaration of War from the United States Congress.

The importance of Mesbahi's testimony cannot be understated either. In his testimony, he was able to prove that he had prior knowledge of the attacks as a result of contacts he maintained within the Iranian government; he fled Iran when he was told he had been targeted for killing.

Speaking of WWII, the defection of Mesbahi and subsequent assistance received by the United States, may be as significant as Albert Einstein's emigration from Germany in 1933. Interestingly, like Mesbahi, Einstein was on a list to be killed by the Nazi government.

I urge and encourage you to read the 53 page Finding of Facts and Conclusions of Law, signed by Judge George Daniels.