Middle East on fire

Report: Netanyahu to meet with Egypt President Mubarak on Sunday (Ch. 10)

IDF successfully tests Iron Dome missile defense system (Ch. 10)

Important step...

Russia FM wants countries negotiating with Iran to consider nuclear fuel swap (AP)

So Russia doesn't want war.

Iran: Iranian scientist who disappeared a year ago on way back to Tehran (AP)

Yeah but who is he working for now?

Turkish FM: We will continue maintaining contacts with Iran on nuke program (Ch. 10)

Good.

Germany's Central Council of Jews: German-Israeli ties at historic low (Reuters)

Boohoo. Israel relations with the world at an historic low. People are sick of Israel's government BS.

UN envoy says conflict with Lebanon villagers resolved (Reuters)

I guess we'll see if that's true soon.

U.S. State Department wishes Egypt's Mubarak 'good health' (Haaretz)

It's their puppet after all.

Think tank: Israel attack against Iran would spark long war (Reuters)

Gee you think? Either I'll be very long (invasion, occupation, troops being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Syria involvement, Lebanon involvement or very fast (use of nukes).

Report: Israel's nuclear program implicated in U.S. export investigation (Haaretz)

Nothing will come out of it.

U.S. Sources Rule out Hizbullah-Israel War

Egypt denies report of Mubarak illness
Now that's a big joke.

Iran says no ship inspected so far
Good. Once they start, war might just start.

'Iran, Russia energy ties unaffected' by sanctions

Hezbollah ready to repel Israeli attacks
Good for you.

The Russian energy minister says sanctions will have no bearing on Tehran-Moscow cooperation, including mutual work on the nuclear front.
Russia to build more nuclear power plants in Iran?

An Israeli parliamentary committee has approved a draft law on requiring a referendum for lifting the Israeli occupation on the Golan Heights and East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
That could be interesting if they vote against occupation... but no way in hell that happens.

Pakistan downplays US sanctions
Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline still on.

Former Clinton Official say only a terror attack can save Obama...

“He has to find some way between now and November of demonstrating that he is a leader who can command confidence and, short of a 9/11 event or an Oklahoma City bombing, I can’t think of how he could do that.”

That ... or bombing Iran...

'Iranian surrogates' preparing attack on US troops
Lots of BS...

Excellent summary of events as always Vitchilo, thank you.


Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri returns home (Includes Video)

Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri returns home


An Iranian scientist who claims he was kidnapped by the CIA in Saudi Arabia a year ago and taken to the United States has arrived back in Iran.

After greeting members of his family at Tehran airport, Shahram Amiri told reporters he had been subjected to "the harshest mental and physical torture".

He also denied that he had been heavily involved in Iran's nuclear programme.

On Monday, Mr Amiri went to the Iranian interests section of Pakistan's embassy in the US and asked to be repatriated.

The US state department insisted he was in the country "of his own free will" and raised no objections about his return to Iran.

'Israeli agents'

Wearing a beige suit, a smiling Mr Amiri was greeted at Tehran's international airport early on Thursday by his tearful son and wife, along with other family members and Deputy Foreign Minister, Hassan Qashqavi.

Speaking at a news conference afterwards, he repeated his earlier claims that he had been abducted by US agents while undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage in the Saudi Arabian city of Medina.

Mr Amiri said he was placed under intense pressure by his interrogators to co-operate in the first months following his alleged kidnapping.

"I was under the harshest mental and physical torture," he said, adding that Israeli agents had been present during the interrogations and that the CIA had offered him $50m to remain in the US.

"The Americans wanted me to say that I defected to America of my own will to use me for revealing some false information about Iran's nuclear work."

Mr Amiri offered no evidence, but said he would eventually.

"I have some documents proving that I've not been free in the United States and have always been under the control of armed agents of US intelligence services."

He also denied he had been heavily involved in Iran's nuclear programme, saying he was a "simple researcher who was working at a university".

"I'm not involved in any confidential jobs. I had no classified information."

Some unconfirmed reports said he worked for Iran's atomic energy organisation.

Mr Qashqavi thanked the scientist for his "resistance to pressure".

He rejected suggestions that Mr Amiri's release was linked to a possible deal to release three US hikers who have been detained in Iran since 2009.

'Breakdown'

In the US, unnamed officials and security sources are claiming that Mr Amiri defected and was put into a programme similar to a witness-protection scheme.

Later, he apparently became concerned for family members he had left behind, had a breakdown and decided to return to Iran, US reports claim.

A US official told the BBC: "He provided useful information to the United States. The Iranians now have him. In terms of win-loss, it's not even a close call."

In its online edition, The Washington Post newspaper quoted unnamed officials saying Mr Amiri had been working for the CIA for more than a year and was paid $5m.

More


Now, notice what that unnamed (handy) US official reportedly said, how Amiri provided 'useful' information.


Remember what I said in my last post?

The US let him go, on the condition he provides "intel" from Iran. Otherwise, the US begins leaking how "helpful" and "willing" Amiri was in providing information on Iran's nuclear programme via the intel community enough tht Iran picks it up, and indeed through the media. Amiri would then be in a rather difficult position.

With the unamed US official sure enough popping up to say how Amiri provided "useful" information, is the firing shot across Amiri's bows by the CIA handlers? A turning of the screws? Reminding Amiri to provide intel now he's in Iran, or there will be more anonymous briefings to the media how "helpful/useful/willing" he was in custody and leaving him in a difficult situation in Iran?


Timeline: Shahram Amiri mystery


Another story of interest:

Flotilla journalists to sue Israel

[edit on 15-7-2010 by Regensturm]

Related to above: Report: CIA paid Iran nuke scientist $5 million

'Attack on Iran would start long war'


From the link:

'Attack on Iran would start long war'


Any Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would start a "lengthy war" with regional and global implications, a think tank says.

The Oxford Research Group, which promotes non-violent solutions to conflict, said that military action should be ruled out as a response to Iran's nuclear program.

"An Israeli attack on Iran would be the start of a protracted conflict," it said in a report by Paul Rogers, who is a professor of peace studies at the University of Bradford.

The think tank's report warned that any Israeli attack on Iran would also lead to instability and unpredictable security consequences for the region and the wider world.

US military action against Iran appeared unlikely but the possibility for an Israeli offensive on Iran has increased, the report added.

"Long-range strike aircraft acquired from the United States, combined with an improved fleet of tanker aircraft, the deployment of long-range drones and the probable availability of support facilities in northeast Iraq and Azerbaijan, all increase Israel's potential for action against Iran," it said.

Any Israeli strike would be focused not only on destroying nuclear and missile targets but would also hit factories and research centers and even university laboratories to damage Iranian expertise, the report stated.

This would cause many civilian casualties, it added.

Military action would include the direct bombing of targets in Tehran and probably include attempts to kill the technocrats who manage Iran's nuclear and missile programs, the report noted.

"Iranian responses would also be long-term, ushering in a lengthy war with global as well as regional implications," Rogers said.

MGH/HGL

Link


The think tank are quite wrong of course. It would not be a "lengthy war", it would be a vicious, bloody, chaotic, destructive, destablisingly catalysmic lengthy war, with a great loss of life, maiming and destruction. The making of widows and orphans.


"lengthy war" as a description does not even begin to start to explain the consequences and horrors of such a war.



Looks like Lebanon is rooting out suspected Israeli spies in anticipation of an war on them:


Lebanon arrests 2nd mobile firm spy


From the link:

Lebanon arrests 2nd mobile firm spy


Lebanese security forces have arrested a second man from a mobile network on spying charges as part of a campaign to uproot Israeli espionage cells in the country.

The detainee, identified as Tareq al-Rabaa, was a co-worker of Cherbyl Qazzi, another employee of the Alpha network who was arrested earlier this month for spying for Israel, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Lebanese media described Rabaa, has been working as a communications engineer for Alfa since 1996, as even more dangerous than Qazzi.

Rabaa was in charge of determining the mode of transmission and was known to be an expert in this field.

Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr briefed the Lebanese cabinet of Rabaa's arrest, which occurred after authorities intercepted a phone call.

More





[edit on 15-7-2010 by Regensturm]

Libya aid ship now unloading cargo at Egypt port (Reuters)

This whole thing is over.

Hezbollah: We have extensive information on senior Israeli officials (Ch.10)

Good for you. Instead of taking out soldiers, take out the leadership, they deserve it more than the soldiers.

Report: U.S. paid Iran nuclear scientist $5 million for information (Reuters)

Yeah... will that be the casus belli for war?

Iranian nuclear scientist: Israeli agents were involved in my interrogation (Reuters)

Probably.

Iran, Afghanistan seek to boost ties
That is in sharp contrast with 2000 when Iran nearly invaded Afghanistan because of the drug trade, weapon trade and killing accross the border the Talibans were doing in Iran.

A top Russian military official says the S-300 defense system deal with Iran is pending the decision of President Dmitry Medvedev and has not been cancelled yet.
Well then MAN UP and deliver it.

An investigation in the United States has charged a US-based Israeli company with attempting to export nuclear weapons-related material to Israel.
Of course it won't be anywhere in US medias.

Iran-Armenia to lay pipeline in fall
Another pipeline going into Iran...

Amiri 'rejected bribe offer of USD 50mn'
Somehow I don't believe him... maybe because as a westerner, I think many here would have said yes and committed treason against their country. Maybe in Iran they are above money.

LAF, UNIFIL launch investigation into Israeli kidnap attempt
Another Israeli provocation...but this time it failed.

Russia wants explanation from Iran over nuclear drive, says Medvedev

Nahhas: Lebanon’s telecom network seriously infiltrated

Williams: UNIFIL Found No Evidence to Support Israeli Claims about Hizbullah Depots
Israel making stuff up to justify their war? IMPOSSIBLE!

Two big explosions in Southeast Iran

Probably some US funded terrorists having fun again. Or Israel/US has started bombing them...who knows.

reply to post by Vitchilo

Oh hell. I hope it's unrelated to what's going on.

Here it is on Reuters. The explosions took place in front of a mosque...reminds me of another mosque explosion...or two...

2006

[edit on 7/15/2010 by ~Lucidity]

Like the mosque explosion in Iraq that started a civil war for months ?

Presstv link

Two explosions have hit the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan, leaving "several dead and injured," IRNA reports.

The first explosion occurred at 9:20 p.m. local time (1650 GMT) in front of the city's Grand Mosque, followed by a second blast within minutes, IRNA said.

"It is not yet possible to determine the exact number of those killed and injured in the incident," IRNA quoted a police official in Sistan- Baluchestan province as saying.

Jalal Sayyah said emergency forces have arrived at the scene of the incident, adding that investigation is underway as to determine what caused the blasts.

Probably just two nutjobs blew themselves up.

[edit on 15-7-2010 by Vitchilo]

Probably, but it's something to keep an eye one. There aren't that many "nutjobs" blowing themselves or others up in Iran, are there?

Lebanon holds second telcom worker suspected of spying for Israel (Haaretz)

Another spy?

Hamas urges activists to send further aid ships to Gaza (DPA)

They gonna send more don't you worry.

Jewish terror suspect: Tape proves Shin Bet tried to coerce me to commit murder (Haaretz)

And by terror suspect, they mean serial killer.

U.S. official: We will continue to shield Israel, militarily and diplomatically (Haaretz)

Well gee you think?

Report: At least 20 killed in bombings in Iran (AP)

And Jundallah claimed responsibility, as we suspected...american funded terrorists having fun.

Report: Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard killed in explosions (Reuters)

Anyone important? I guess we'll know later...

Poll: 56 percent of Americans back Israeli military action against Iran (Haaretz)

Yeah and 26% of Americans don't know who the independence war was against...and 71% of Americans don't know anything about the finance reform bill. So yeah.

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is scheduled to appear on television Friday afternoon on the occasion of Wounded Resistance Fighter Day.

Paris expects more skirmishes between residents of the south and U.N. peacekeepers despite a Security Council statement to allow the forces to move freely

U.S. Study: Growing Concern of Renewed Israel-Hizbullah War
Well gee. Read the stinking news...not American news.

Arab League calls on Israel to join NPT
Not gonna happen in a thousand years.

Tension between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah is rising by the day.

No firm date was set for the trip, Ahmadinejad's first visit to Lebanon, the front line against Israel, but late July or early August were mentioned. That suggested there would be no upheaval before that period.

But Tuesday, Beirut's Al-Akhbar newspaper, reported that Ahmadinejad postponed his trip until after the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. That starts Aug. 11 and ends Sept. 9, which from a religious point of view would be a more propitious time to engage in hostilities, if such is the intent.

Interesting article. I suggest you read it...

[edit on 16-7-2010 by Vitchilo]

'West, Israel linked to SE Iran blasts'

A ranking official with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has implicated the "US, Israel and some European countries" in the deadly blasts in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan.

Yadollah Javani, the head of IRGC's political bureau, said late Thursday that the latest terrorist attack in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan points to the involvement of terrorist groups under the auspices of the United States, Israel and some Western countries, which seek sectarian division, Fars news agency reported.

Two explosions in the front of Zahedan's Grand Mosque on Thursday left more than 20 martyrs and over 100 injured.

Well the US is probably funding and arming Jundallah. After all they are funding and arming ``resistance`` inside Iran since 2005 as reported by Seymour Hersh and officially since mid-2008 as admitted by General Petreus.

Preparing the Battlefield


From the link:

Preparing the Battlefield
The Bush Administration steps up its secret moves against Iran.

by Seymour M. Hersh

July 7th, 2008


Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program.

Clandestine operations against Iran are not new. United States Special Operations Forces have been conducting cross-border operations from southern Iraq, with Presidential authorization, since last year. These have included seizing members of Al Quds, the commando arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and taking them to Iraq for interrogation, and the pursuit of “high-value targets” in the President’s war on terror, who may be captured or killed. But the scale and the scope of the operations in Iran, which involve the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), have now been significantly expanded, according to the current and former officials. Many of these activities are not specified in the new Finding, and some congressional leaders have had serious questions about their nature.

Under federal law, a Presidential Finding, which is highly classified, must be issued when a covert intelligence operation gets under way and, at a minimum, must be made known to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and the Senate and to the ranking members of their respective intelligence committees—the so-called Gang of Eight. Money for the operation can then be reprogrammed from previous appropriations, as needed, by the relevant congressional committees, which also can be briefed.

“The Finding was focussed on undermining Iran’s nuclear ambitions and trying to undermine the government through regime change,” a person familiar with its contents said, and involved “working with opposition groups and passing money.” The Finding provided for a whole new range of activities in southern Iran and in the areas, in the east, where Baluchi political opposition is strong, he said.

Although some legislators were troubled by aspects of the Finding, and “there was a significant amount of high-level discussion” about it, according to the source familiar with it, the funding for the escalation was approved. In other words, some members of the Democratic leadership—Congress has been under Democratic control since the 2006 elections—were willing, in secret, to go along with the Administration in expanding covert activities directed at Iran, while the Party’s presumptive candidate for President, Barack Obama, has said that he favors direct talks and diplomacy.

Read More

Well it looks like Obama has changed his tune since then and is now carrying on Bush's dirty work. Or he just played the role of wanting direct talks and diplomacy to be seen as different from Bush as possible at the time.


All part of the covert and dirty war against Iran....like the Contras in Nicaragua. Like the funding and creation of the Taliban and Al Qaeda to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. I wonder what happened to those Taliban and Al Qaeda guys.


Keep an eye on what happens in Iran's Kurdish regions next....we may see the Israeli support and arming of the Kurds begin to rear it's head.


US funds terror groups to sow chaos in Iran


From the link:

US funds terror groups to sow chaos in Iran


By William Lowther in Washington DC and Colin Freeman
Published: 12:01AM GMT 25 Feb 2007


America is secretly funding militant ethnic separatist groups in Iran in an attempt to pile pressure on the Islamic regime to give up its nuclear programme.


In a move that reflects Washington's growing concern with the failure of diplomatic initiatives, CIA officials are understood to be helping opposition militias among the numerous ethnic minority groups clustered in Iran's border regions.

The operations are controversial because they involve dealing with movements that resort to terrorist methods in pursuit of their grievances against the Iranian regime.

In the past year there has been a wave of unrest in ethnic minority border areas of Iran, with bombing and assassination campaigns against soldiers and government officials.

Such incidents have been carried out by the Kurds in the west, the Azeris in the north-west, the Ahwazi Arabs in the south-west, and the Baluchis in the south-east. Non-Persians make up nearly 40 per cent of Iran's 69 million population, with around 16 million Azeris, seven million Kurds, five million Ahwazis and one million Baluchis. Most Baluchis live over the border in Pakistan.

Funding for their separatist causes comes directly from the CIA's classified budget but is now "no great secret", according to one former high-ranking CIA official in Washington who spoke anonymously to The Sunday Telegraph.

His claims were backed by Fred Burton, a former US state department counter-terrorism agent, who said: "The latest attacks inside Iran fall in line with US efforts to supply and train Iran's ethnic minorities to destabilise the Iranian regime."

Although Washington officially denies involvement in such activity, Teheran has long claimed to detect the hand of both America and Britain in attacks by guerrilla groups on its internal security forces.

More


So we have a three year old article and a two year old article, more or less explaining what is happening now.

A couple of things with the Telegraph article.


It claims Jundallah carry out "bombing and assassination campaigns against soldiers and government officials."


It also targets Shia Mosques and Shia worshippers and carries out kidnappings, but it sounds much better to make out it targets just Iran's military and government personnel.


Secondly, that "In a move that reflects Washington's growing concern with the failure of diplomatic initiatives,"


Failure of diplomatic initiatives? If Washington calls threatening Iran with sanctions and veiled threats of bombing "diplomatic initatives" then Washington is not really a good diplomatic ambassador in hiding it's intentions to subjugate Iran for the fact that Iran has energy resources, and for other geopolitical and geostrategical reasons.

Iran's government is the issue to the US's successive administrations and it's corporate interests, because Iran overthrew the US's tyrannical puppet Shah in 1978, and took hostages to put a halt to any attempt by the CIA and MI6 to overthrew the new chosen government, as happened with Prime Minister Mossadegh in '53.

With the US, (those in power, not American people) it's about reclaiming lost imperial territory: the great game.

Iran is also an issue to Israel (Those in Tel Aviv and their supporters) because Iran is providing a counterweight to Israel in the region, when Israel wants dominance. Which suits the US administrations fine as Israel acts as the US's bulldog in the region, the enforcer. Except that now Israel influences it's handlers, and whispers in it's ears via pro-Israeli lobbyists on a big scale.



[edit on 16-7-2010 by Regensturm]

It's very plausible, as one of the links you posted suggested Vitchilo, that Israel could attack Iran (and Lebanon and Syria, for that matter) during Ramadan.

Ramadan is when Muslims fast as part of observing Ramadan, and of course Israel may feel that attacking Iran when the military may be weak from fasting and possibly not at their physical and mental pinnacle of health from lack of food may feel favourable to Israel.


As for the idea of Hezbollah targetting Israel's leadership. Israel started that game what with the assassination recently, and attempted 'decapitation' of Hezbollah's leadership in the 2006 War.


Of course, Israeli soldiers are part of the Israeli War Machine, they follow their orders, and Hezbollah will feel compelled to target the Israeli soldiers who will be doing the attacking on the ground, should war come.

Syrian President Assad reportedly planning to visit Lebanon in August (Haaretz)

U.S. Official: Military aid should assist Israel to make 'tough' peace talks decisions (Haaretz)

What does that even mean?

Obama condemns Iran mosque suicide bombing (Reuters)

Now that's funny.

Iran official: Israel, U.S. behind Iran suicide bombings (Haaretz)

Probably yes.

The Canadian government is expected to announce on Friday that it will buy 65 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.
Ok that is utter retarded. I mean really.

Israel has been brought into the planning process, I'm told, because U.S. officials are frightened by the possibility that the right-wing Netanyahu government might go rogue and try to whack the Iranians on its own.
Well well.

Iran scientist was longtime informant: report
Yeah we'll never know if that's true or not. If it's true and now he turned against them, do the CIA or Mossad still have sources inside the iranian nuclear program? If they do not, they might panic and hasten their war.

An Attack on Iran: Back on the Table

Iran scientist: CIA offered me $50m to lie about nuclear secrets
So that's what they wanted to pay to start a war uh?

10:01pm Jumblat: War depends on the Western-U.S.-Israeli timing, and they may wage a war on Iran if they reached a belief that sanctions aren't useful, and Lebanon and the Gulf can't be isolated from any war on Iran.
10:00pm Jumblat: Mount Lebanon will become a strategic depth for the Resistance in any new war, as all areas must be, and I tell some hesitators that Israel has not and will not be merciful on anyone in its war.
9:48pm Jumblat: I don't believe there would be a war in the near future because the U.S. administration has the midterm elections soon, and if Obama was defeated, hawks would rise to power. The timing of war is related to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Or Obama could start a war so he wins the mid-term election...and by start a war, I mean bomb Iranian nuclear installations hoping that Iran does nothing.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman appoints a new ambassador to the UN without informing the Israeli prime minister, in another indication of a growing rift in the Tel Aviv government.
Hopefully the competition between those two scumbags make their government fall.

They really are preparing FOR THE FINAL WAR.

And by Final War, I mean taking out Syria-Lebanon-Iran-Hamas AT THE SAME TIME AND FOR GOOD.

The US will probably take part. Nukes might be used if things go wrong...if people in the US refuse to go to war.

IMO a draft might happen in the US. The economy will need it anyway.

Castro might be right after all and all the economists predicting WW3 to save the economy... IMO World War 3 is coming.

Greater U.S. military aid should assist Israel's 'tough' peace talks decisions, official says

An expanded security aid package should allow Israel to reach tough decisions in its peace talks with the Palestinians, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Andrew J. Shapiro said Friday, adding that Washington planned to provide Israel with its most extensive security aid package in history.

Speaking at the Brookings Saban Center for Middle East Policy in Washington D.C., the assistant secretary spoke of the administration's intention to enhance the annual security aid it provides Israel, saying that in "2010, the administration requested [Congress for] $2.775 billion in security assistance funding specifically for Israel, the largest such request in U.S. history."

When they talk about peace, they really talk about war.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

Iran scientist was longtime informant: report
Yeah we'll never know if that's true or not. If it's true and now he turned against them, do the CIA or Mossad still have sources inside the iranian nuclear program? If they do not, they might panic and hasten their war.

Not if Amiri is an asset now in Iran to report back to his CIA handlers. I caught an Iranian journalist exile on France 24 last night claiming that her colleagues in Iran had told her Amiri was now in prison, in solitary confinement.

I've been trying to find any other news source on the web for this to no avail, but if true, (and I emphasise 'if true' with caution for lack of any more information on this) then the Iranians either are going through a debrief with him on what happened to him, or have their suspicions.


Might have something to do with this:


Shahram Amiri spied for the US in Iran, reports say


From the link:

Shahram Amiri spied for the US in Iran, reports say


The Iranian scientist claiming to have been kidnapped by the US provided the Americans with information for years before his disappearance last year, the US media has reported.

Unnamed US officials told reporters Shahram Amiri was paid $5m (£3.3m) for "significant, original information".

Mr Amiri flew back to Tehran from the US on Thursday to a hero's welcome.

He disappeared while in Saudi Arabia on a Muslim pilgrimage last year, and resurfaced in July asking to go home.

The reports by the New York Times and the Associated Press both quoted unnamed US officials who wanted to counter Mr Amiri's assertions that he had been tortured by the CIA while in the US.

"His safety depends on him sticking to that fairy tale about pressure and torture," the New York Times quoted the unnamed official as saying.

"His challenge is trying to convince security forces that he never cooperated with the United States."

'Beyond reach'

Mr Amiri had walked away from a new identity set up for him and millions of dollars in benefits which is still sitting in an US account, the Associated Press quoted an unnamed official as saying.

"Anything he got is now beyond his reach, thanks to the financial sanctions on Iran," the official said.

The officials spoke to the journalists on condition they were not identified because they were not authorised to discuss the classified operation, it was reported.

But Mr Amiri has said he was subjected to extreme mental and physical torture by the Americans.

He disappeared last year and resurfaced this week in the Pakistani embassy in Washington asking to be repatriated.

The US said he had been in the country "of his own free will" and denied he was tortured.

Mr Amiri was a researcher at a university near Tehran.

He says he had no connection to any secret weapons programme.

The unnamed US officials told reporters he was indeed a low-level scientist, but they had hoped to use him to find a way of getting to more highly placed Iranian officials.

A former CIA agent, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mr Amiri was part of an ongoing intelligence-gathering programme trying to attract Iranian nuclear scientists to the US.

Link


So, if he was indeed a CIA asset, perhaps Amiri has been found out by the Iranians on his return and the CIA (Unnamed officials again, plenty of them about) is selling him out to detract Iran from other agents/assets in the field, or possibly, he returned to Iran because he missed his family, and the CIA are selling him out because he did not want to be an asset anymore and he no longer was of use, or was never of any use as an asset.

If he is a CIA asset, having 'unnamed officials' telling the media he was one, does not help his cause in Iran.

Unless....unless it's a double game, which would be clever.


Have anonymous briefings to the media that he was an CIA Asset.

Iran, welcoming Amiri back as the hero, thinks that these briefings are a story to discredit Amiri's account of being kidnapped by the CIA and escaping.

Iran lets Amiri go on with his life, unknowingly to them, to continue to be an CIA asset, whole other nuclear researchers are arrested because of the suspicion generated by the CIA's 'unamed official' stating they have a recruitment programme in Iran.


Still on the subject of espionage....

Lebanon nabs 3rd suspected spy



On the subject of Castro warning of WW3, I said on another thread on this subject that Castro has been around a long time, and was there in 1962 when then nearly was WW3. He's survived numerous assassination attempts, lived to a grand old age and wherever you love or hate him, he has been there done that, in the realms of world politics and the global stage.

Dismiss him and his thoughts on WW3, potentially at your peril.

[edit on 17-7-2010 by Regensturm]

This whole spy business might also be a psyop by Iran against the CIA. Who knows. Maybe they staged the whole thing of this guy defecting, going to the CIA, being paid to give secrets, lying to the CIA about the true nature/progress of the iranian nuclear project, then coming back to Iran and going to jail to make it look like he really defected...when in fact he was supplying lies to the US. Who knows. There's also other sources that say that he wasn't even a nuclear scientist!

Court: U.S. must review Iranian Organization's classification as terror group (Reuters)

Palestinian official: Israel tries to sell us unilateral gestures that will get us nowhere (Ch. 10)

They've been doing that for 60 years now... so yeah.

Report: CIA whisked scientist out of Iran for fear of exposure (DPA)

Well that failed...

Nasrallah: Israel has access to Lebanon's phone lines, eavesdrops on citizens (Army Radio)

They are at war with Lebanon, that's why.

Turkish activist group IHH: We will continue efforts to bring aid to Gaza (Army Radio)

More aid ships ahead.

Assad: Turkey represents greatest hope for mediating peace with Israel (Israel Radio)

So you're saying there's almost no hope then?

Egyptian paper: Bill Clinton, Carter plan to visit Gaza to mediate Shalit deal (Ch. 10)

I wouldn't cry if something bad were to happen to those two war criminals...

Abbas: Security by third party in future Palestinian state condition for direct talks (Reuters)

So Abbas wants UN troops or UNIFIL-like troops in the Palestinian state to protect from Israel?

Iran Revolutionary Guards warn U.S. of 'fallout' over rebel bomb attack (Reuters)

Will some Iran revolutionary guard blow himself up in the west or do assassinations in Iraq and Afghanistan against US troops? Or empty talk as always?

Anti-U.S. Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr travels to Syria for talks with Assad (AP)

Of course the US is gonna see this as a sign of something is being planned... After all, Assad, Nashrallah, Ahmadinejad, al-Sadr, Meshal, Erdogan and Hariri are having meetings together... Could be council of war... what to do in case the US/Israel attacks Lebanon/Iran/Syria/Hamas..

U.S. to give Israel $3.2 billion for security budget in 2011 (TheMarker)

Even more than 2010, which was already a record 2.7 billion. They really are gearing up for something big.

Turkey PM Erdogan's wife: Peres is a liar (Haaretz)

Well duh.

73.3% of IDF's eligible August enlistees request to join combat units (Haaretz)

That seems high to me...

Iran, Russia to establish joint oil bank
I'm sure the US/Israel is gonna like that...NOT.

Israel 'using PKK to silence Turkey'
Not just silence Turkey but to make Erdogan leave. After all Israel trained and armed the PKK.

Originally posted by Vitchilo
This whole spy business might also be a psyop by Iran against the CIA. Who knows. Maybe they staged the whole thing of this guy defecting, going to the CIA, being paid to give secrets, lying to the CIA about the true nature/progress of the iranian nuclear project, then coming back to Iran and going to jail to make it look like he really defected...when in fact he was supplying lies to the US. Who knows. There's also other sources that say that he wasn't even a nuclear scientist!

A disinfo campaign to muddy the CIA waters...it's possible.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

Court: U.S. must review Iranian Organization's classification as terror group (Reuters)

That's the MKO, the People's Mujahadeen, if I'm not very much mistaken. Saddam armed and trained them in the 1980's in the Iran-Iraq War, and are greatly despised by most Iranians for siding with Saddam in his war on Iran.

I remember a story of how MKO militia entered an Iranian town supposedly cleared of Iranian troops, and the Iranian people came out of their houses and tore the militia limb from limb.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

Iran Revolutionary Guards warn U.S. of 'fallout' over rebel bomb attack (Reuters)

Will some Iran revolutionary guard blow himself up in the west or do assassinations in Iraq and Afghanistan against US troops? Or empty talk as always?

If a US city was the victim of an Iranian-sponsored terrorist attack that killed Americans, then the US Government would most likely employ the US military to strike back at Iran.

People would say the US would be justified.

All in all, if Iran strikes back now for the US-sponsored terrorist attack in Zahedan and elsewhere in Iran, then it is simply what the US would do if a Iranian-sponsored terrorist attack happened in a US City or elsewhere in the US.

After all, following these events, Iran sees the US as a sponsor of terrorism, something which has led to the death of Iranians.

And perhaps that is what those in the US administration and Israeli government want:

A bombing in an Iranian city kills Iranians, sponsored by the US and possibly Israel.

Iran feels justified in striking back.

US and Israel scream how Iran have attacked them, and waged war on them.

War on Iran begins.


This bombing may well be a trap for Iran set by the warmongers in the US and Israeli echelons of power, a trap to be a prextext for war.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

Anti-U.S. Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr travels to Syria for talks with Assad (AP)

Of course the US is gonna see this as a sign of something is being planned... After all, Assad, Nashrallah, Ahmadinejad, al-Sadr, Meshal, Erdogan and Hariri are having meetings together... Could be council of war... what to do in case the US/Israel attacks Lebanon/Iran/Syria/Hamas..

It's possible. the feeling is in the Middle East is that war is in the air, much more so than recently, and that's saying something. Assad himself has acknowledged this in the Video I posted several posts ago.

If it is a council of war, then we too can witness it the other side, the US trying to rally Gulf Arab nations, and Israeli visits to the The White House and vice versa. Netanyahu visited Obama very recently.

Al-Sadr himself will have his part in any war on Iran, what with the Shias in Iraq, if they see the Shias of Iran be attacked, they will see it as an attack on a brother, and Shia insurgents will make themselves known in Iraq once more.


Indeed a moderate Grand Ayatollah in Iraq, who welcomed the US invasion of Iraq, and ordered Shias to help US troops, said that if the US attacks Iran, it will be the duty of every Shia to kill an American soldier in Iraq.


Don't think the US has crushed the shia insurgents, or Moqtada al-sadr. Being part of the political process in Iraq means the guns have simply been much silenced for now in terms of attacking the US troops, leaving Al-Sadr to concentrate on achieving a higher Shia clerical status through studying in Iran.

The Iranian city of Qom is the hub of all Shia clerical teaching and learning, and I would not rule out him being based there at this time.

Originally posted by Vitchilo
Israel 'using PKK to silence Turkey'
Not just silence Turkey but to make Erdogan leave. After all Israel trained and armed the PKK.

I doubt it would silence Turkey at all. Turkey takes the issue of the PKK very seriously indeed, and will take Israeli support of the PKK as about the biggest national affront to Turkey you can get.

If I was Israel, I really, really, would not try to antagonise the Turks. Particulary on the issue of the PKK and supporting them.

Especially after killing Turkish citizens.


As to make 'Erdogan leave'. I think not. Israeli support of the PKK, Israeli killing of Turkish citizens and the treatment of the Palestinians, means Erdogan's stance towards Israel in Turkey is seen as being the correct one, and he is stronger politically for it.



[edit on 18-7-2010 by Regensturm]

More on possible war councils....


Hariri meets Assad in Damascus

From the link:

Hariri meets Assad in Damascus


Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss the latest developments in the region.

The two officials held talks on Tuesday, Syria's official news agency reported.

The meeting was held during Hariri's second visit to Syria after his last December's official trip to the country, which ended nearly five years of hostility between the two neighbors.

The Lebanese premier embarked on a regional tour on Monday with a visit to Saudi Arabia during which he met with Saudi King Abdullah.

Hariri is also scheduled to head to Turkey for talks with Turkish leaders after his visit to Syria.

The Lebanese official's tour is due to be followed by a meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington on May 24. The trip will be his first official visit to the US.

Link


Hariri may well be travelling the region, and then to the US to get a sound-out for the mood of the region and the US amid these tensions.


For Hariri to meet al-Assad is quite something, considering al-Assad was at one time blamed for Hariri's father's death.

Walking side by side with al-Assad would not be the natural reaction of someone who thought al-Assad killed their dad.


Everyone knows in the region there's a point in Lebanon, where if Israel invaded, Syria would intervene. Roughly it's the Damascus to Beirut highway, which saw action between Syrian armoured forces and Israeli troops when Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982.

Now, Hariri may be seeking out who to back in a coming war:

A) The Israelis/US/Saudi Arabia, (if he remains in power and Hezbollah is targeted and not Lebanon, certainly he is backed by the US and Saudi Arabia), this is dangerous as he could be seen as a Quisling in Lebanon.

B) The Syrians and Iranians (If he feels an Israeli war was on Lebanon as a whole)

C) Neutral.

Personally, I see often that while the Lebanese often squabble and disagree, the majority are aware of the Israeli danger: They have had war waged on them before.

The Lebanese do not want Syrian or Iranian or Israeli domination of their country, but they know that if Israel attacks, they will have to ally with perhaps unatural allies to fight back.

EU set to pass new anti-Iran sanctions

According to a draft declaration for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, "a comprehensive and robust package of measures in the areas of trade, financial services, energy, transport as well as additional designations for visa ban and asset freeze, in particular for Iranian banks, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines" will be approved.

Hopefully this doesn't include inspection of ships.

Syria, Turkey join calls for free Gaza

Iran to West: Stop backing terrorism
Good luck with that, they've been doing that since the 50s at least in various countries and never stopped.

Allawi tries to win Sadr's support
The US won't be happy about this...

Washington has reportedly called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants to allow members of an anti-Iran terrorist group into mountainous area along Iran's northwestern border.
Goes with the reports from the US generals and journalists that the US is funding and arming anti-Iran terrorists groups...

Ashton 'ready for nuclear talks' with Iran
Yeah but let's pass sanctions first eh?

Obama committed to 'diplomacy' on Iran
Obama says he wants peace...war to start in 3...2...1...

Shaaban: Syria is always in support of Hezbollah
Well you think?

Berri from Geneva: War in Lebanon is unlikely
I hope you are right.

Ashkenazi: Israel to Move into Lebanese Populated Areas If Need Be
We know you will.

Ex-U.S. Official: It Was Obvious Syrians Were Not Behind Hariri Killing
Ya think?

China to invest in Iran oil industry
That could make Castro right... if China invests billions in Iran and those investments are all bombed to hell by Israel or the US, China will be pissed.

The board of directors of the Olympia Food Co-op in Washington decided last week that no more Israeli goods will be sold at its two grocery stores in the city.
Balls... you have them.

Israel set to force all citizens to swear oath to Jewish state
More insanity from the Israeli government.

Israel to deploy new anti-missile system in November

Hezbollah reportedly deploys thousands of fighters on Southern borders
Yeah and? Israel does this all the time on their side of the border.

Netanyahu, on collision course with Lieberman, says he determines policy (Haaretz)

Please Israeli government, FALL ALREADY.

Iran parliament urges government to pursue uranium enrichment (DPA)

Allowing 20% enrichment.

Minister Edelstein: I hope Ashton sees there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza (AP)

He's kidding right?

Syria, Lebanon sign 17 security and economic cooperation agreements (AP)

Another cooperation Israel won't like.

Ahmadinejad: Iran to file complaint with int'l bodies over deadly mosque bombing (AP)

Good luck with that.

Lieberman: Israel planning to improve Gaza's water and electricity infrastructure (DPA)

So you'll stop sending your sewers directly into Gaza water supply?

Civil Administration told to crack down on illegal Arab structures (Haaretz)

Not Jewish illegal structures though...

Lieberman: There is no political crisis, we are not leaving government (Haaretz)

Damn!

Security officials: Construction of fence on Egypt border to start in November (Army Radio)

Another fence?

Israeli forces demolish cluster of Palestinian tents, shacks in northern West Bank (AP)

Palestinian tents are probably WMDs!

Iran calls for world body free of big power domination, unlike UN (Reuters)

That'll never happen.

IDF Chief: I can't identify a Hezbollah motive to launch confrontation with Israel (Ch. 10)

If you attack Iran... if you kill Nashrallah... if you attack Syria... if Turkey-Syria-Iran-Lebanon make an alliance to wipe out Israel...

Iran passes law authorizing retaliation against nations that inspect Iranian ships (AP)

Israel convinces US with Credible military plan on Iran

Deputy defense minister: Iron Dome can't provide 100% rocket protection (Israel Radio)

Only 80% costs of 500.000$/missile.

Report: Turkish FM met with Hamas chief Meshal in Damascus on Monday (Haaretz)

Another war council?

Russia gifts Palestinians with 50 armored cars, Israel raises objections (Israel Radio)

Of course they raise objections.

Russia dismisses Iran, insists pending missile deliveries covered by sanctions (AP)

So Iran won't be getting their S-300s after all...

Netanyahu: I'm willing to take political risk for peace (Haaretz)

Now that's funny.

Amiri 'told CIA Iran had no bomb program'
Ooops!

[edit on 20-7-2010 by Vitchilo]