During his first official visit to Iraq as U.S. Secretary of Defense, the former CIA director Leon Panetta told Iraqi government officials that their defense forces including their border guards must do more to stop Iranian infiltration and weapons smuggling that's contributing to the increasingly deadly attacks.
While several counterterrorism experts told the Law Enforcement Examiner that Panetta is new to the job of Defense Secretary, he should have been aware of Iran's involvement in the Iraqi insurgency over the years. His statements revealed a lack of knowledge on the subject of Iranian trouble making in the Iraqi conflict.
"It's almost absurd that Panetta should bring up the Iranian influence on terrorism in Iraq at this late stage of the conflict. He's been the Director of Central Intelligence and should be more than familiar with Iran's obvious long-time goal of toppling the fragile democracy in Iraq," according to a former U.S. intelligence officer and law enforcement official now residing in Israel, who also is a Law Enforcement Examiner source.
As far back as 2005, American intelligence officials were given information by the British MI6 indicating that Iran was operating "training camps" for bombers who carry out terrorist attacks on U.S.-led coalition forces, Iraqi security forces and civilians. It appeared even then that the training was accelerating in order to create havoc and destabilize the fledgling Iraqi government.
Previously, the British military accused Iran of being accessories in the killings of soldiers using sophisticated explosive devices. But intelligence officers went much further by saying the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which has close links to the government, is teaching Shia fighters to make the bombs in Iran and then they're transporting them across the border into Iraq.
Those initial charges came after Iraqi and coalition forces discovered unexploded devices and submitted them to ordinance experts. A forensic examination of the bombs was made in Baghdad which military experts believe aided in devising security measures and helped to reveal evidence of an Iranian signature. The armor-piercing, infrared bombs had reportedly killed dozens of U.S. and British soldiers.
Government officials in Britain have accused the Iranians of tactical involvement in Iraq as a result of what Tehran perceives as Western bullying over the nuclear issue. It's also believed that the Iranians wish to keep U.S. and British forces tied down in Iraq to avert a possible attack on Iran.
Previously, the British military accused Iran of being accessories in the killings of soldiers using sophisticated explosive devices. But intelligence officers went much further by saying the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which has close links to the government, is teaching Shia fighters to make the bombs in Iran and then they're transporting them across the border into Iraq.
Those initial charges came after Iraqi and coalition forces discovered unexploded devices and submitted them to ordinance experts. A forensic examination of the bombs was made in Baghdad which military experts believe aided in devising security measures and helped to reveal evidence of an Iranian signature. The armor-piercing, infrared bombs had reportedly killed dozens of U.S. and British soldiers.
Government officials in Britain have accused the Iranians of tactical involvement in Iraq as a result of what Tehran perceives as Western bullying over the nuclear issue. It's also believed that the Iranians wish to keep U.S. and British forces tied down in Iraq to avert a possible attack on Iran.
As would be expected, Iranian officials vehemently denied the accusations and has claimed instead that the U.S. is pressuring Iran over its nuclear program by publicizing the bombing incidents.
The revelations of the alleged Iranian involvement made by defense and diplomatic sources in Iraq was compelling and detailed. The military said in a statement in 2006 that the Iranians are "trying to counter the bomb threat by training the trainers and the [Iranians] are doing the same. People are being trained [in Iran] and then slip back into Iraq, 10 at a time, to train others maybe 50 at a time."
Intelligence reports strongly suggest that terrorist training camps are being run in Iran and Lebanon, and that there is some intelligence that suggests there are camps in Syria. Forensic examinations of explosive devices shows that the technology has been "proliferating," leading to a drastic rise in attacks.
The revelations of the alleged Iranian involvement made by defense and diplomatic sources in Iraq was compelling and detailed. The military said in a statement in 2006 that the Iranians are "trying to counter the bomb threat by training the trainers and the [Iranians] are doing the same. People are being trained [in Iran] and then slip back into Iraq, 10 at a time, to train others maybe 50 at a time."
Intelligence reports strongly suggest that terrorist training camps are being run in Iran and Lebanon, and that there is some intelligence that suggests there are camps in Syria. Forensic examinations of explosive devices shows that the technology has been "proliferating," leading to a drastic rise in attacks.
U.S., British and Iraqi security forces have uncovered caches of weapons including over 60 rockets, mortars and landmines, as well as the Iranian-made infrared explosive devices. Intelligence officers believe weapons are being stashed by insurgents throughout Iraq in the hopes of initiating a major insurgency offensive. And Iran gains time to continue their nuclear weapons program by helping to keep the few remaining coalition forces bogged down in Iraq.
Jim Kouri, CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, an editor for ConservativeBase.com, and he's a columnist for Examiner.com. In addition, he's a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.
He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.
He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.
