May 27, 2003

Iran Watch New information suggesting

Iran Watch

New information suggesting two undisclosed nuclear labs. And in a Steve Weismann article (that portrays virtually the entire Middle Eastern scene as quite gloomy) the following:

"Then there is the sharpened quandary over Iran, which some Bush administration analysts say is harboring cells of Al Qaeda that were involved in the Saudi bombings. American officials have said that Iran is already trying American patience by supporting militant Shiite groups in Iraq and, the officials believe, accelerating its nuclear arms programs.

The administration is to hold a high-level interagency meeting on Tuesday to decide whether to suspend diplomatic contacts with Iran or take even firmer actions, perhaps beginning to support opposition groups, to get the Tehran government to cooperate.

Some in the administration favor confronting Iran, pressing for sanctions on its nuclear program at the United Nations or becoming friendly with groups that want to overthrow the current government. Others argue that Iran should be given more time to identify Qaeda operatives and perhaps hand them over.

"They are not going to want to take a step that looks like they are catering to American pressure," said an administration official, referring to the government in Iran. "Ratcheting things down for a while might make it easier for them to cooperate."

Meanwhile, Teheran announces the apprehension of various al-Qaeda personnel.

Note: Weisman's piece continues to provide fodder for the myth that Dubya somehow declared the war on terror won:

"The bombings in Saudi Arabia this month did more than destroy parts of three foreign compounds in Riyadh. They shook American complacency that the campaign against terrorism had been won along with the war on Iraq."

I don't know about you, but I certainly wasn't feeling overly complacent that the war against terror had won with the fall of Baghdad. But perhaps simpleton Americans in the heartland did, or so the Times seems to patronizingly infer?

Particularly as Dubya, according to Maureen Dowd, had declared the campaign won, right? Amazing that given this and this the Gray Lady continues to showboat shamelessly.