WHAT IS THE ROLE OF IRAN?
Part 2

 

 

 

By Dennis L. Cuddy, Ph.D.
February 27, 2006
NewsWithViews.com

In 1981, Ronald Reagan became President, but unfortunately ignored the threat from Iran early in his administration. According to longtime CIA Middle East operative Robert Baer in SEE NO EVIL (2002), Baer looked at "an intelligence report from March 1982---a full thirteen months before the embassy bombing---stating that Iran was in touch with a network capable of destroying the U.S. embassy in Beirut. A subsequent report even specified a date the operation should be carried out." The attack was carried out by the Islamic Jihad Organization, which Baer described as "merely a front for the Iranians." Baer further reasoned that "the conclusion was unavoidable: The Islamic Republic of Iran had declared a secret war against the United States, and the United States had chosen to ignore it."

The U.S. government during the Reagan years also knew that the Iranian-sponsored Islamist network was already here in the U.S. in the mid-1980s. In TARGET AMERICA: TERRORISM IN THE U.S. TODAY (1993) by Yossef Bodansky (director of the U.S. House of Representatives Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare), one learns that this network "had markedly expanded and become better organized. The Islamist infrastructure already included all the components of a mature terrorist support system. These included safe houses in major cities, weapons, ammunition, money, systems to provide medical and legal aid, false identity papers, and intelligence for the operative. The network was also large and spanned the United States."

Bodansky also revealed that "the training of suicide pilots started in Busher air base in Iran in the early 1980s....The first installation was established in Wakilabad near Mashhad....According to a former trainee in Wakilabad, one of the exercises included having an Islamic jihad detachment seize (or hijack) a transport aircraft. Then, trained air crews from among the terrorists would crash the airliner with its passengers into a selected objective."

Two years after Bodansky wrote this, additional information was developed. According to Associated Press writer John Solomon's "Warnings Before 1995 Oklahoma Bombing" (June 20, 2002), "'Iranian sources confirmed Tehran's desire and determination to strike inside the U.S. against objects symbolizing the American government in the near future,' said a February 27, 1995, terror warning by the House Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare. The warnings became increasingly specific as to the possible location, type of attack, and likely dates. 'These strikes are most likely to occur either in the immediate future or in the new Iranian year---starting 21 March 1995,' the congressional task force predicted."

Then Jim Crogan in "An Oklahoma Mystery: New hints of links between Timothy McVeigh and Middle Eastern terrorists" (L.A. WEEKLY, July 24-30, 2002) stated that Bodansky wrote "that after the bombing, it was determined that Oklahoma City had been 'on the list of potential targets.'...An undated intelligence report by Bodansky discusses alleged terrorist training inside the U.S. that included some 'Lilly Whites.'...Bodansky states the training was ordered by Iran and conducted by Hamas operatives....The second training occurred in 1993. It was specifically for Lilly Whites. They also used code names and were given state-of-the-art car-bomb training. Bodansky's sources also report that at least two of the 1993 participants came from Oklahoma City."

In Yossef Bodansky's BIN LADEN (1999), one then learns that "in the early months of 1996, Tehran started laying the foundation for the next phase in the terrorist jihad, establishment of the HizbAllah International, with (Osama) bin Laden in a senior position. The significance of this organization for the prevailing terrorist threat was demonstrated in its first strikes: the bombing of the U.S. barracks in Khobar, Saudi Arabia; the downing of TWA 800; and the assassination of a U.S. intelligence officer in Cairo."

Given the revelations above, how could the U.S. possibly have all this information unless American intelligence agencies have been monitoring the Iranians in the U.S. and elsewhere for a long time? Secondly, why would the U.S. want to oust a contained, secularist Saddam Hussein from Iraq, and have elections there resulting in Islamic law being imposed by a Shiite majority religiously aligned with Iran, which is closer to having nuclear weapons (WMD) than Saddam ever was? And most recently, why would the Bush administration so vigorously defend its approval of the sale of a company managing at least 6 major U.S. ports to Dubai Ports World of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which supported Osama bin Laden and the Taliban before 9/11 and since 9/11 has still served as a base for Al Qaeda?

Wouldn't computer access to port security information be useful to Al Qaeda or Iranian-supported terrorists? Remember that 2 of the 9/11 hijackers were from the UAE, and according to Niles Lathem's article, "Qaeda Claim: We 'Infiltrated' UAE Gov't" (NEW YORK POST, February 25, 2006): "Al Qaeda warned the government of the United Arab Emirates more than three years ago that it 'infiltrated' key government agencies, according to a disturbing document released by the U.S. military. The warning was contained in a June 2002 message to UAE rulers, in which the terror network demanded the release of an unknown number of 'mujahedeen detainees,' who it said had been arrested during a government crackdown in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

The explosive document is certain to become ammunition for critics of the controversial UAE port...." Also recall that CIA agents allegedly met with Osama bin Laden at a Dubai hospital in July 2001 (see Alexandra Richards's "CIA Agent Allegedly Met bin Laden in July," LE FIGARO, October 31, 2001; and see Anthony Simpson's "CIA agent alleged to have met bin Laden in July," THE GUARDIAN, November 1, 2001). And while you are recalling this, you might also want to remember that a UAE sheik gave at least $1 million to the (George H.W.) Bush Library Foundation. Last year, Dubai International Capital, a government-backed buyout firm, invested in an $8 billion fund of the Carlyle Group, for which former President Bush has been a consultant and marketer, and the current President Bush has received fees as director of a subsidiary.

What will probably happen with the Dubai Ports World takeover is that another 45-day review will give the Bush administration time to "educate" (arm twist) enough Congressional Democrats and Republicans not to demand certain guarantees (e.g., Can Americans be guaranteed no employee of Dubai Ports World will be threatened by Al Qaeda into providing security information from computers?) regarding national security because of the takeover. This is despite an Associated Press article, "Paper: Coast Guard Has Port Co. Intel Gaps," by Liz Sidoti on February 27, 2006, that begins: "Citing broad gaps in U.S. intelligence, the Coast Guard cautioned the Bush administration that it was unable to determine whether a United Arab Emirates-owned company might support terrorist operations, a Senate panel said Monday. The surprise disclosure came during a hearing on Dubai-owned DP World's plans to take over significant operations at six leading U.S. ports."

What might precipitate a conflict between Iran and the U.S.? Next month (March 2006), Iran will bring online the "Bourse" exchange for oil sales around the world, which could accept Euros, etc., instead of dollars (currently nations must use dollars to buy oil). In November 2000 (when George W. Bush was elected president), Iraq stopped accepting dollars for oil and under the U.N. oil-for-food program switched to the Euro. After the U.S. invaded Iraq, we had Iraq switch back to accepting the dollar. According to economic expert Jim Puplava, the Iranian action this March will be the first serious challenge to Anglo-American dominance of the commodities market globally.

This will challenge the status of the dollar as nations' reserve currency, which will lessen the value of the dollar for Americans, thereby impacting our economy (e.g., greater budget deficits, because we cannot just print dollars to pay our debt without lessening the value of the dollar). Watch for some type of reaction to this by the U.S. government, including attempts to destabilize the government of Iran. And if that fails, watch for some type of "incident" that will precipitate U.S. (or Israeli) military action against Iran (remember the 2 British agents dressed as Arabs who recently caused "incidents" until caught by Iraqi police). Perhaps the only reason such action has not already occurred is because China has a tremendous economic stake in Iranian oil, etc. And China has purchased a great deal of American debt. What if they threaten to no longer do this if the U.S. attacks Iran? And remember here that China has also contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M.

And what might Iran do if attacked? Yossef Bodansky revealed that Iranians were responsible for downing TWA 800. What if Iranian agents in the U.S. downed several American airliners? Do you remember the effect upon our economy as a result of 9/11? And what if Iranian agents here used helicopters to attack athletic stadiums filled with tens of thousands of people? What if they also derailed trains here carrying passengers or dangerous chemicals? What if they set fires to forests, apartment complexes, etc., at night? What if they blew up gas lines in cities? What if they poisoned foods in grocery stores and fast-food restaurants? If they did these things, and more, the human and economic impact would be many times greater than the impact of 9/11.

And concerning what Iran might do to Israel if attacked, Yossi Melman (HAARETZ correspondent) in "Iranian advisor: We'll strike Dimona in response to U.S. attack" (February 25, 2006), reported: "If the United States launches an attack on Iran, the Islamic republic will retaliate with a military strike on Israel's main nuclear facility. Dr. Abasi, an advisor to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, said Tehran would respond to an American attack with strikes on the Dimona nuclear reactor and other strategic Israeli sites such as the port city of Haifa and the Zakhariya area. Haifa is also home to a large concentration of chemical factories and oil refineries. Zakhariya, located in the Jerusalem hills, is---according to foreign reports---home to Israel's Jericho missile base."

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Syria is also targeted by the U.S., and the justification given will be that is where Iraq sent its WMD (which we have known, and I have reported, all along). But just as the U.S. did not like it when Iraq switched from the dollar to the Euro, the U.S. did not like it when early this month (February 2006), Syria also switched from the dollar to the Euro for international currency exchange transactions. This likewise could play a role in whether the U.S. takes action against Syria. For part 1 click below.

Click here for part -----> 1, 2, 3,

� 2006 Dennis Cuddy - All Rights Reserved

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