US Storms Iranian consulate

[it5five]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6251167.stm

Oh no. I don't like this. At all.

Nothing good will come from this.

[zimv20]

interesting how liberal media giant CNN includes this bit (http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/11/iraq.main/index.html):

But the official disputes accounts from Iran that the troops broke open a consulate gate and conducted a raid.

"No shots were fired. No altercation ensued," the U.S. official. "It was a knock on the door and 'Please come out.' "
...but omits the bit from the BBC story that computers and papers were taken from the embassy. did those just walk out the door, too?

isn't raiding an embassy an act of war?

[flopticalcube]

A knock on the door? At 3:00AM?

[it5five]

I believe it is an act of war, since the Iranian consulate would be Iranian soil.

[Ugg]

I believe it is an act of war, since the Iranian consulate would be Iranian soil.

Yep, the US is not standing on moral or legal high ground here. If Iran should retaliate, it would be well-deserved.

[lord patton]

Well, there are lots of acts of war. Iran supporting attacks on US forces is an act of war.

Not that I mean it's time to nuke Tehran, I'm just saying, nobody plays by the rules in a battlefield. And does anyone doubt Iranian forces are in Iraq, and supporting the insurgency?

[flopticalcube]

Sure, but don't take a dump on my cupcake and call it frosting.

[lord patton]

Sure, but don't take a dump on my cupcake and call it frosting.

err, uh... touché?

[skunk]

Sure, but don't take a dump on my cupcake and call it frosting.Nice. :)

[Macky-Mac]

..... And does anyone doubt Iranian forces are in Iraq, and supporting the insurgency?

well, given that the people usually referred to as "insurgents" in Iraq are generally sunnis and the Iranians are generally shi'ites, the answer to your question would be that most people would indeed doubt the Irainians are supporting the insurgency......it's the militias associated with various shi'ite political parties, including a number that are part of the USA supported Iraqi government, that are being supported by the Irainians

[skunk]

well, given that the people usually referred to as "insurgents" in Iraq are generally sunnis and the Iranians are generally shi'ites, the answer to your question would be that most people would indeed doubt the Irainians are supporting the insurgency......it's the militias associated with various shi'ite political parties, including a number that are part of the USA supported Iraqi government, that are being supported by the IrainiansWell spotted.

[Dont Hurt Me]

I believe it is an act of war, since the Iranian consulate would be Iranian soil.Perhaps were looking for any excuse to start the air campaign on Iran? Standing around while Iran is advancing its Nuclear Weapons Program is still doing nothing. I wouldnt be surprised at all if George goes after Iran.

[mactastic]

The linked article certainly leaves some doubt as to whether this building was an embassy at all...

I'm curious to find out some more definitive information.

I do think it's pretty funny that righties would get all worked up about a foreign country meddling in the internal affairs of Iraq to bring about a regime friendly to their interests. Isn't that exactly what we're doing there? Don't we have a longstanding policy of meddling in other countries affairs to benefit the US? Aren't many of these same righties advocating that we aid groups opposed to Tehran's government?

But of course, in righty-world if the US does it it's OK. If anyone else does it, it's an act of war. It's that whole 'lack of intellectual consistency' thing again...

[MACDRIVE]

Sure, but don't take a dump on my cupcake and call it frosting.

Only you British guys would understand that one; I have no clue. :confused:

[mactastic]

Only you British guys would understand that one; I have no clue. :confused:
I got it...

[skunk]

Only you British guys would understand that one; I have no clue. :confused:Actually, it's called "icing" over here. I'm bilingual.

[lord patton]

err, I don't know if I'm considered I righty. Hopefully I'm not considered much at all. (<---- there it is... jump on it!)

But I'm not worked up about Iranian influence in Iraq (influence which, whether directed toward Sunnis or Shiites, is certainly anit-US. duh.) I think it's a natural and predictable thing. As is the US's objective of thwarting their attempts.

I just don't think its worth saying this is against the rulebook, how dare we, when this exactly how the game is played.

Oh, and they raided our embassy first :p (Yeah, because we supported the Shaw :p :p )

[Ugg]

I do think it's pretty funny that righties would get all worked up about a foreign country meddling in the internal affairs of Iraq to bring about a regime friendly to their interests. Isn't that exactly what we're doing there? Don't we have a longstanding policy of meddling in other countries affairs to benefit the US?

Actually, America's sole post-WWII goal has been to meddle in other countries' internal affairs. I doubt you'll find a single country in the world that hasnt' been meddled with under the guise of either "helping the poor heathens" or "bringing democracy to the oppressed masses."

[savanahrose]

I want to move to Australia!!! :(

Bush needs his head examined. Personally I think he is unfit to serve our country. But then we would have Chaney and he isn't that much better. 2008 hurry up and get here.

[Dont Hurt Me]

I want to move to Australia!!! :(

Bush needs his head examined. Personally I think he is unfit to serve our country. But then we would have Chaney and he isn't that much better. 2008 hurry up and get here.True ,my guess is the President is a figure head for Cheney.
Anyone remember how he was linking Iraq and Osama? 400 billion down the drain and We still have only 2 lanes on I95 in South Carolina? WTF

[skunk]

(Yeah, because we supported the Shaw :p :p )I don't support the Iranians in this either, but I would point out that "supporting the Shaw" - is that George Bernard? - consisted first of all of overthrowing the elected democratic government of Mossadegh in 1954. Not altogether an innocent piece of politicking.

[Peterkro]

I want to move to Australia!!! :(



Not a good choice if you want to get away from right wing lunacy in Government.

[savanahrose]

too bad it sounded so good

[BoyBach]

An Iranian diplomat has been kidnapped by gunmen in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, Tehran has confirmed.

Jalal Sharafi, the embassy's second secretary, was abducted from his car on Sunday in central Karrada district by men wearing Iraqi army uniforms.

Iran condemned the kidnapping and said it held the US responsible for his life. A US military spokesman said no US or Iraqi troops were involved.

The news comes amid US-Iranian tension over Iranian activities in Iraq.

Last month in a dramatic pre-dawn helicopter raid, the Americans detained five Iranians in northern Iraq, prompting Iran to issue a formal protest to the US.

The US has denied any involvement in the latest incident, but recently has been expressing increasing concern about alleged Iranian support for militant activity in Iraq.

Correspondents say the stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme is adding to the tension.

On Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair accused Iran of "a strategy to create maximum trouble" in the Middle East.

Identification puzzle

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told the Isna news agency that Mr Sharafi had been kidnapped by a group linked to Iraq's defence ministry "which works under the supervision of American forces".

"The Islamic Republic of Iran holds the American forces in Iraq responsible for the life and safety of the Iranian diplomat," he said.

Iraqi officials earlier said the gunmen were wearing uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion - a special Iraqi unit under US direction.

US military spokesman in Baghdad, Lt Col Christopher Garver, could not confirm the diplomat's abduction.

However, he said: "We've checked with our units and it was not a [multinational forces - Iraq] unit that participated in that event."

Mr Sharafi was reportedly kidnapped outside the Baghdad branch of the Iranian state-owned Bank Melli.

But the details of the abduction are still confused.

...

Iran envoy 'abducted in Baghdad' - BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6334439.stm)

And the 'ratcheting' continues...