Ed Morrissey links to a Wall Street Journal article today which quotes military leaders in Baghdad as saying that a band of 50 or so Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops are being tracked inside the capitol city:
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, whose command includes the volatile southern rim of Baghdad and districts to the south, said his troops are tracking about 50 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in their area — the first detailed allegation that Iranians have been training fighters within Iraq’s borders. "We know they’re here and we target them as well," he said, citing intelligence reports as evidence of their presence.
He declined to be more specific and said no Iranian forces have been arrested in his territory. "We’ve got about 50 of those," he said, referring to the Iranian forces. "They go back and forth. There’s a porous border." …
Gen. Lynch, whose mission is to block the flow of weapons and fighters into the Baghdad area, said Sunni and Shiite extremists have become increasingly aggressive this month, trying to influence the debate in Washington before a pivotal progress report on Iraq. He singled out the Shiite extremists as being behind rising attacks using armor-piercing explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, which he said were largely assembled in Iraq from parts smuggled in from Iran. He also noted a marked increase in Iranian-rockets that have been increasingly effective against U.S. bases.
There has been an overall decrease in attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces, as well as civilians, south of Baghdad, but 46% of those were being carried out by Shiite extremists, Gen. Lynch said. "The real difference now is we’ve got to spend as much time fighting the Shia extremists as Sunni extremists," he said.
Another good reason why our country designated them a terrorist outfit. They are inside the capitol training and supplying those who kill innocent men, women and children.
And check out these quotes today in the WaPo:
The Gulf would become a "hell" for Iran’s enemies if they were to attack the Islamic Republic, a commander of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying on Sunday.
It was the latest in a series of defiant statements from senior Guards figures after U.S. officials on Wednesday said the United States may soon name the force a terrorist group, a move that would enable Washington to target its finances.
"With the power the Guards have obtained now, if the enemies want to … start a military confrontation, the Persian Gulf will become a hell for them," Ali Razmjoo, a naval commander of the Revolutionary Guards, told the Fars News Agency.
"By using modern systems, no activities and threats by the enemies in the Persian Gulf would be hidden from us," he said.
Baghdad Bob….is that you?
And this one today in the AFP:
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Sunday launched a new attack on the United States, saying Iran’s arch-enemy was "stuck in a whirlpool," and would sink deeper in the future. "America is weaker compared to 20 years ago, and it does not have its previous power and grandeur," Khamenei said in a speech to participants in a religious conference, state television said.
"America and its followers are stuck in a whirlpool, and they sink deeper as time passes. A dangerous future is predicted for them," he added.
Lots of saber rattling as they continue to work behind the scenes to ensure that we lose in Iraq, with the help of our own countries leftists of course.
Meanwhile we have been kicking more ass inside Iraq: (h/t Bill Roggio)
US and Iraqi forces continue the hunt for al Qaeda and Shia terror operatives. Fourteen al Qaeda operatives were captured during raids in Baghdad, Taji, Balad, Samarra and Mosul on August 16 and 17. Two al Qaeda operatives were killed and 16 captured during operations in Baghdad, Tarmiyah, Bayji, Tikrit, Kirkuk, and Mosul on August 18. The Bayji raid netted "an alleged weapons and logistics facilitator" while the Tikrit raid resulted in the capture of an "operative believed to move large amounts of explosives and foreign terrorists into Iraq." Three al Qaeda were killed and 21 captured during a series of raids in Muqdadiyah, Tarmiyah and in Salahadin province on August 19.
In Baghdad, Iraqi security forces captured a Mahdi Army sniper cell leader and weapons facilitator, along with a cell member, and killed another. In a separate raid, Iraqi troops captured a financial backer of al Qaeda’s Islamic State of Iraq.
In Tarmiyah, which is about 25 miles north of Baghdad in Salahadin province, Coalition forces killed 13 al Qaeda operatives and captured 12 during a raid on August 17 designed to capture an "al Qaeda in Iraq cell leader who provides guidance to senior terrorist leaders." Coalition forces killed the 12 terrorists after a series of clashes in the city, and engaged them with sniper and close air support. Also in Tarmiyah, a U.S. helicopter crew targeted two insurgents on the roof of a mosque. Insurgents have been using the mosque to attack U.S. forces in the city since May. Iraqi soldiers also raided a mosque near Balad on August 18 after intelligence indicated it was being used to support the insurgency.
Of course none of this is easily found in our MSM because they choose to ignore it.
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“Of course none of this is easily found in our MSM because they choose to ignore it.”
Not a day goes by where I don’t wonder what the msm will do if Sen Clinton becomes Pres Clinton? How will they cover Iraq?
Will they rave about the decision to invade-the decision she and President Bush promoted, authorized, and supported?
Will they rave about the surge-the temporary sending of more troops to Iraq that Sen Clinton called for, and Pres Bush did?
Will they suddenly start reporting on the good things that happen there, or will Iraq become an albatross on the Democrats? If the latter, then the Achilles heel is pegged since for the last 5yrs, they’ve been dancing around any and all responsibility for what happens in Iraq. It’s the last thing Democrats want people to remember:
…that Sen Clinton and Sen Edwards saw the intel and more, promoted and authorized the war, supported it, and never did anything to help bring about success there.
Will the msm suddenly start with woohoos about how many AQ have been killed in Iraq, or will they ask Hillary how she could have been wrong on WMD etc with former President Clinton on the pillow beside her?
Why are we tracking 50 terrorists instead of killing them all within an hour? Iran’s murdering guard units will be just like Saddams, cowards to the core unless they’re in the process of killing women and children. The U.S. needs to launch one nuclear missile ‘from the U.S.’, and take out half of the Iran’s nuclear sites. One multi warhead will do it. I don’t care how deep they bury them, they’ll be deadly hot for the next few hundred years. Then see how much mouth you get from the cowards in Iran’s army of Islamic murderers.
Scott: If Hillary Clinton is elected, you can count on the media to begin cheerleading openly for VICTORY in Iraq. You know it and I know it.
It would almost be fun to watch if a Hillary presidency wouldn’t be worse and more damaging than her husband’s.
Curt: Didn’t we just kill some Iranians in a firefight last week? That on top of the captured Quds “diplomats” from earlier this year. No doubt this current 50 are “students” or more “diplomats” or workers for the Red Crescent proving relief supplies.
One thing that is overlooked in that WSJ story is the unprecedented arrival of the French Foreign Secretary in Iraq. Quite a signal that things have changed between Paris and Washington.
I’ll see if I can’t come up with more details and post something if you don’t beat me to it.
Mike, either way, it’s a no lose.
1) if the msm cheerleads a Clinton admin and supports the war, then the Islamic Holy Warriors have less reason to hope and continue their fight there.
2) if the msm suddenly decided to play hardball instead of softball with a Dem admin, then not only would the new Dem admin be held to account, but they’d be held to account for the previous 7yrs of jerkin around opposing without viable alternatives (see also the much ado over the New Direction in Iraq that never even existed). The result…Dems finally have to put up, and with every poll we’re seeing that the American people have less stomach for defeat than they do for the war. People want it over (intelligently so), but they want and expect leaders to lead to victory-not lead the way running from a fight. Monty Python wasn’t inspiring when he lead his men away from the big hairy beast with long ears and two giant fangs to the cry of, “RUNAWAY!” And with over 52% of the population already unfavorable towards Hillary, she’s gonna have to pander harder to the right, than to the left.
Either way the msm plays a Dem admin, the US wins and Dem leaders lose. I think it’ll start on 2/6/08. When Hillary and Fred face off in a debate or Rudy and Hillary, it could be pay per view, and I’ll have the popcorn ready! Dems have almost nothing to run on, and are quickly losing their list of things to run against. Taking Congress was a coup for them (literally), but they simply suck at leading Congress, and the American voter will be reminded of that in spades.
I believe so Mike, and like the military said that border is quite porous so it will be difficult to stop the intrusions but not impossible. Obviously they are getting good intelligence now and as long as that keeps flowing hopefully they will be able to slow the tide.
I did read about that French contingent visiting, looks like the new PM is making a difference huh?
I agree, it will most definitely start once the two nominees are decided but I just don’t see Hillary getting the WH. Won’t happen. Every single Republican from coast to coast would drag themselves, would crawl if needed, to get to a booth and ensure that women never gets into that office.
But I do agree with ya, IF she did the MSM would quickly change their tune, as they did with Billy. Suddenly staying on offense in Iraq would be a great idea.
Scott: Funny how Monty Python mirrors life. This might as well be talking about the Democrats:
The problem with another Clinton Administration is that it would put the clones of many of the same people who brought us the first Clinton Administration in power.
And you know they’ve put the Jamie Gorelick Wall back up faster than you can say “Patriot Act.”
We’d be back to “global tests” and trying to make everyone love us again instead of do the hard work that real leadership implies.
Terrorism would become more of a “crime” problem and the military would be neutered.
And I don’t ever expect the lamestream “news” media to ever hold Democrats to the same standard of accountability they daily demand of Republicans.