Report: U.S. Troops Raid Iranian Consulate in Iraq
According to this WaPo article:
U.S. officials have not confirmed the raid but did say in a press release that they had taken six people into custody in Irbil during the course of “routine security operations.” The release said the individuals were “suspected of being closely tied” to attacks on Iraqi and U.S. forces.
28 Years past due, but a step in the right direction. Iran and Syria, both roadblocks in the road to peace, need to be dealt with!Â
Jay has links to the following:
My understanding is that the Kurds know how to deal with insurgents. They are merciless. Which is why you rarely hear of terrorist incidents in areas controlled by the Kurds.
The Belmont Club: A Down Payment on 1979
No doubt the Iranians will squawk about the violation of diplomatic immunity, incursion on sovereign Iranian territory, international law, blah blah blah. I encourage them then to raid our embassy and consulates in Iran.
h yeah, we don’t have any. Remember why? This is an early indicator that the gloves are in fact off, which is the key component to success in this change of strategy.
The Political Pitbull reacts to Glenn Greenwald’s Reaction:
The dumbest reaction I’ve seen to this on the left is from Glenn Greenwald, whom without apparently understanding the irony of his question, asks, “Isn’t it a definitive act of war for one country to storm the consulate of another, threaten to kill them if they do not surrender, and then detain six consulate officers?”
I don’t know about you, but it seems that Greenwald’s rather quick to side with Iran on this one. It is indisputable that Iran has been actively involved in supporting the insurgency in Iraq–especially by providing insurgents with IEDs and weaponry that have contributed directly to US casualties. Don’t those actions by Iran count as a definitive act of war? Doesn’t the US have a right to fight back against Iranian interference? In Greenwald’s mind apparently, the answer to those questions seems to be no.
Others: LGF
Atlas Shrugs takes a look at Iran’s secret plan to create chaos in Iraq and links to video.
 Senator Joe Leiberman:
Sen. Joe Lieberman, who was assailed for his pro-war views during his fall re-election race, praised President Bush’s plan to increase the number of troops in Iraq and urged his colleagues in Congress to proceed with respectful debate.
“Excessive partisan division and rancor at home only weakens our will to prevail in this war,” Lieberman, I-Conn., said in a statement Wednesday.
:
“The president did not take the easy path, but he took the correct and courageous course,” Lieberman said. “It is a dangerous illusion to believe that we can depart Iraq and the inevitable killing fields and terrorist violence will not follow us in retreat ” even to our own shores.”
Other Commentary:
War With Syria and Iran+ PeaceWith Iraq?“ Seek out and destroy. “ If there’s anything in the President Bush’s remarks tonight that we didn’t already know or didn’t anticipate him saying militarily about Iraq, it is his evident willingness to go to war with Syria and Iran to seek peace.Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Unqualified Offerings, LiberalOasis and Brilliant at Breakfast
January 11, 2007 - 12:34 PM on January 11th, 2007
I think people like Lieberman and McCain got it right. They WILL follow us here if we don’t stop them there. The Iraqi’s are scared and hiding in their homes. They need us as well as their own military to squelch the violence. Once that’s done they should be okay.
This doesn’t surprise me and I truly hope this means the rules of engagement have changed and this show of supremacy and commitment will lead to a breaking of the cycle of violence.
January 11, 2007 - 02:53 PM on January 11th, 2007
I can’t believe this! This is a serious violation of International Law and diplomatic protocol! This is worse than the 1979 arrest of suspects at the American embassy in Tehran by Revolutionary Guards!!! And the right-wingers were so angry over that incident, yet they have nothing to say now about this grievous violation?!
Is there no end to the atrocities and war crimes perpetrated in the name of America? This will only further enrage the insurgents, further galvanize global opposition!!! Now they are really, really mad!!! Their recruiters are bringing in new jihadists by the score to fight against us, and all because of the Republicans and their failed warmongering!
I am calling on the American Left to resist!!! Show the world, and the Islamists, that we on the Left at least are not their enemy!!! Place turbans on your heads, and wrap yourself in a dirty bedsheet, and take to the streets!!! Now!!!
January 11, 2007 - 02:57 PM on January 11th, 2007
San Francisco Liberal: the rally is at 5 pm at the corner of Van Ness and Geary. I’ll expect to see you there, with your turban and bedsheet. I will be the one wearing the tin foil turban.
January 11, 2007 - 07:50 PM on January 11th, 2007
Hmmmm sounds to me like the Iraqis are giving the Iranians a taste of their own medicine when it comes to embassies. Now let’s see if they hold the consular staff hostage under horrific conditions for over 400 days, brutalize a number of them and execute one. Mahmoud should be having a serious flashback right about now seeing as he has been identified as one of the leaders of the terrorists who stormed the US embassy and kidnapped our diplomats.
January 11, 2007 - 10:00 PM on January 11th, 2007
San Francisco Liberal: WHERE were you today at 5 pm? You didn’t show at the rally! I thought you were on our side—I thought you were serious. But you’re all talk!
Well we had a GREAT antiwar rally without you! We decided to emulate the World Naked Bike Ride people and so went wearing nothing but our tin foil turbans. It was really kewl. We marched around displaying our atrophied genitals to passing motorists, many of whom honked in support!
Prolly see our pix on Zombietime soon!
January 11, 2007 - 10:30 PM on January 11th, 2007