(BUFDRVR) wrote in message ...
Thelasian wrote:

Only IF such events were real and not merely Neocon spin-doctoring.

Come on! Get it right, it's a "vast right wing conspiracy"

Interesting how you're quite willing to see conspiracies where you
like, but not where you don't like.


Both the US State Department and the Iraqi Foreign Ministry have said
they don't have any evidence of Iranian support for al-Sadr

Interesting? But perhaps the military (you know, the numerous guys actually
there, on the ground in Iraq) *does* have evidence.


Too bad they too say that they haven't found the famous "foreign
infiltators"
So are you saying that Maj. Gen. Charles H. Swannack Jr., commander of
the 82nd Airborne Division is lying when he says "Most of the attacks
on our forces are by former regime loyalists and other Iraqis, not
foreign forces," (see below)


His own words and actions
are good enough for me. His exile to Iran following his fathers assasination in
1999 is pretty damning as far as an Iranian link and he has openly called for


Ummmm...in that case you'd better be prepared for a shock: MOST of
Iraq's dissidents have at some time or another been to Iran. Iran is
after all the neighbor of Iraq, and an enemy of Saddam. Does that
automatically make Sadr a stooge of Iran? In fact the current
US-installed Iraqi FM is in Iran - I guess hes' a stooge of Iran too?


and
despite all the White House - Pentagon talk about "foreign fighters"
precious few have actually turned up

Wrong.

"Suspected foreign fighters account for less than 2% of the 5,700
captives being held as security threats in Iraq

How many of the dead are foreign? How many suicide bombers are foriegn? These
guys are not surrendering which will upset your data.
Sorry, but talking with
guys who have been there, they say the foriegn influance in the insurgency is
huge.


Yeah well that's not what your "guys" say to the reporters.

UPI Wednesday, 19-Nov-2003 4:50AM PST
Copyright 2003 by United Press International (via ClariNet)

BAGHDAD, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. military leaders say there is little
evidence of foreign fighters from Syria, Turkey and Iran in Iraq.

"Most of the attacks on our forces are by former regime loyalists and
other Iraqis, not foreign forces," said Maj. Gen. Charles H. Swannack
Jr., commander of the 82nd Airborne Division....The generals' remarks
don't concur with Bush administration estimates of last month, when
the number of foreign fighters was pegged between 1,000 and 3,000, the
New York Times reported Wednesday...