CRC Open Sources
Counterterrorism Research Center Open-Source Intelligence Briefs
June 22, 2009
IRAN: World Tribune reports (from Iranian pro-democracy sources) that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the IRGC’s Basij paramilitary force have employed Shia Hizballah and Sunni Hamas operators in Iran in attacks against “anti-government [pro-democracy] protesters in the wake of the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”
So much for Western sympathizers and enablers of Jihadi-terrorists who since 9/11 have been propagating disinformation re: Shia and Sunni not operationally collaborating. Fact is, Shia and Sunni extremists do – and have – collaborated on every front worldwide for decades.
According to open sources: Farsi-speaking undercover security agents are issuing the orders. The orders are then translated into Arabic. The translated commands are given to “the militias.” The militias are attacking the demonstrators.
Our sources are telling us, IRGC forces “are utilizing foreign fighters from Lebanon” because – with all of the international focus on Iran – the IRGC does not want to appear “in an official capacity” to be conducting direct-action operations against Iranian civilians. The IRGC wants its foreign subsidiaries Hizballah and Hamas to do its dirty work. And the operations are ongoing.
Tom Harb, secretary general of the International Lebanese Committee for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, tells us: “The UN must immediately investigate the validity of these disturbing reports, because this – like so many other Hizballah activities –would be in direct violation of UNSCR 1559 and 1701.”
IRAQ: On the victory-in-Iraq front (which far too many Western journalists and American politicians who have pretended to support the troops, but who have done their level-best to undermine U.S. military operations in Iraq since 2003): we have more news of amazing albeit underreported success on the ground in that country.
According to Agence France Presse and Stars & Stripes: “The U.S. Army handed over a base in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, once a bastion for anti-U.S. insurgents, to Iraqi forces on Saturday as the deadline nears for its pullout from Iraq’s cities. The transfer of the Joint Security Station comes barely more than a week before a June 30 deadline for U.S. forces to pull out of Iraq’s urban centers as required by a security accord signed between Baghdad and Washington in November.”
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger – commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, author, longtime friend of ours, and a general-officer with a reputation of leading from the front in combat – said, “This land has been bought with a very high price: 136 US soldiers and 184 Iraqi soldiers shed their blood to protect Sadr City [between January 2006 and present].”
Bolger added: “We Americans did not give you this place: you have earned it, paid with Iraqi blood, sweat and tears. … Fighting here was fierce and deadly. Thank God the worse of that has passed. ”
Bolger added that American forces would return to Sadr City “to respond to violence if requested by the Iraqi government.”
NORTH AMERICA: Christopher Holton, a vice president with the Center for Security Policy (CSP) and the director of the CSP’s Divest Terror Initiative, emails: “This evening [Saturday] we were alerted to a new, disturbing event involving a Jihadist organization holding an event at a private Islamic school in the Chicago, IL area. The purpose of the event is to call for Shariah and Islam to replace capitalism.
More detail at Shariah Finance Watch.
— Chris Carter contributed to this report.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.
In: Geopolitics · Tagged with: Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, IRGC, Shariah Finance
Harry Reid 2 years ago: “War is Lost”
Remember how disgusted you were? I sure do! Nothing like seeking political power through the destruction of our military overseas.
In: Military, Politics · Tagged with: Democrats, Harry Reid, Iraq
Remember what they said
October U.S. casulaties in Iraq are at an all-time low. The U.S. military just handed over security of Wasit province to Iraq, which makes the 13th province under full Iraqi control.
Good news? To the free world, yes. But not to the Obama campaign when you consider what they have said in the past.
Joe Biden called for partitioning Iraq into three countries. Iraq responded to his resolution by denouncing it in their parliament, and heavy criticism from Iraqi media.
Barack Obama still to this day will not credit the U.S. military’s determination and sacrifice by admitting that the ‘surge’ worked. If the man seeks to become the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, I would think it best to credit them for a job well done.
But I see why he wouldn’t, as Democrats tried their level best to undermine the fight in Iraq.
In: Military, Politics · Tagged with: Barack Obama, Democrats, Iraq, Joe Biden
Iran’s Ramazan Corps – Iranian-Backed Terrorism in Iraq
Originally published at Family Security Matters
Bill Roggio, managing editor of The Long War Journal (which provides in-depth reporting and analysis on the war on terror), says – despite press reports to the contrary – “Iranian influence [in Iraq] has declined since the surge.”
Roggio should know. An adjunct fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a contributing author at The Weekly Standard, Roggio has been following the war since 2003, including several trips to Iraq as an embedded reporter.
In an exclusive interview, Roggio discusses Iran’s support of Shia terrorist groups inside that country.
CHRIS CARTER: You have extensively covered Iran’s backing of numerous Shia terror groups in Iraq. This should be of great concern to America as hundreds of U.S. troops have been killed as a result of Iranian intervention. Which groups do the Iranians support?
BILL ROGGIO: Iran’s backing of the Shia insurgency has been widely downplayed in the U.S. press. But Iran has worked to destabilize the nascent Iraqi government while murdering U.S. troops. The U.S. military estimates about 10% of U.S. deaths are caused by Iranian-supported groups. Iran supplies the deadly explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, as well as rockets, mortars, sniper rifles, and other weapons to its proxies in Iraq. It has set up an entire command, the Ramazan Corps, to direct operations in Iraq.
In: National Security · Tagged with: EFP, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, Mahdi Army, Qods Force
God Bless Our Troops!
IED attacks in northern Iraq are down from 6,000 in July of 2007 to 500 in July this year. In fact, 75% of IED attacks are discovered before they detonate. Now insurgents are placing fake roadside bombs just to keep up appearances.
The US military just wrapped up the least deadly month since the beginning of the 5 year war in Iraq. Only 13 US troops were killed, compared to 80 in July of 2007.
Al Qaeda in Iraq’s leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri left Iraq for Afghanistan in June along with 15 other senior leaders.
In: Military, National Security, Politics · Tagged with: al Qaeda, Congress, Democrats, Iraq, The Surge
Nuts!
In May, the military had an “apology ceremony” after a soldier allegedly used the Qur’an as target practice. Now before I get going, it was definitely a stupid thing to do. I want to make that clear. The soldier says that he didn’t know it was the Qur’an, and that is entirely possible (the art of deception has long been mastered by our enemies, plus they have the assistance of our own media – think Haditha and the Qur’an flushing hoaxes). Whatever the case, he has been sent back to the States.
The Commander of U.S. Forces in Baghdad, Major General Jeffery Hammond, held a conference for an audience of tribal leaders, dignitaries and local security officials. An apology from the soldier was read. Gen. Hammond also offered his own apology. But, in what must have been the high point of the event, a U.S. military official kissed a Qur’an and offered the “humble gift” to the tribal leaders.
In: Military, Religion · Tagged with: Iraq, Qu'ran
NY Times Turns Down McCain
The New York Times has turned down an op-ed written by Republican Presidential candidate John McCain. They are a private organization, and I suppose it is fair to say that they are welcome to publish or turn down whomever they want. His article, Getting Iraq Right, can instead be found at the New York Post.
I felt compelled to expand on a couple points in his article. (more…)
In: Politics · Tagged with: Barack Obama, Iraq, John McCain, New York Times
Ayman al-Zawahiri (D-AQ)
Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda (AQ)’s second-in-command, recently posted an audio tape on several Islamic terrorist websites commemorating the five year anniversary of the US invasion. Zawahiri said, “Where the American invasion stands now, after five years, is failure and defeat.”
Come on now, Ayman — you’re behind the ball. Democrats have been saying this same stuff for years.
He added, “It is all a silly episode to disguise failure in Iraq and so Bush would avoid making a decision on withdrawing troops — which is considered to be a declaration of crusaders’ defeat in Iraq — and move forward the problem to be the next president’s issue.”
Failure in Iraq? Bush wants to forward this problem to the next president? How is this any different than what Reid, Clinton, or Obama, would say? Pretty soon, after the President’s State of the Union address, there will be a Democrat response, followed by one from AQ.
In: National Security · Tagged with: al Qaeda, Democrats, Iraq
Hall of Heroes: Michael Monsoor
The second SEAL since the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq began is to be awarded the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military honor.
On September 29, 2006 on a rooftop in eastern Ramadi, Master-at-Arms Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor manned a sniper overwatch position along with three other SEALs and eight Iraqi soldiers. The team was providing security for coalition forces operating in the vicinity.
Throughout the morning, the team received occasional harassing fire from local insurgents, which was typical. Later in the day, their position was hit by a rocket propelled grenade. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the team wasn’t able to determine from where the RPG was launched.
About two hours later, an insurgent moved in close enough to throw a grenade into their position. It struck Monsoor in the chest. They were in a tight spot – there was only one way in or out of their position. Monsoor was closest to the door and could have saved himself, but he instead chose to grab the grenade and shield his teammates from the blast with his body. (more…)
In: Military · Tagged with: Iraq, Medal of Honor, Michael Monsoor, Navy SEALs
A Time for Thanksgiving
(from BlackFive)
As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, I eagerly anticipate the plates of turkey and stuffing, the moments of camaraderie around the TV watching football and the sharing of stories amongst friends, but it is the soldiers’ stories of bravery and courage that should be shared on this day of Thanksgiving.
I had the rare chance to talk in depth with one of my CCATT patients on our last flight, a young 24 year old Marine from Camp Pendleton, California. It is Javier’s story hangs with me this day. Javier gave me permission to share his story with you, a true story of heroism, and sacrifice that deserves to be told on Thanksgiving.
On the morning of 16 November 2005, the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment were taking part in operations along the Iraq-Syrian board to clear the towns of insurgents.
Javier [Alvarez], a strong and sturdy looking square jawed Marine Corporal was on his third deployment to Iraq. He had seen heavy combat in his previous two deployments, and had been injured once before earning him a Purple Heart. On this day he was in command of a Squad of fourteen men. I knew just by talking to him that his men were fortunate to have him leading them into battle. He spoke with clarity and confidence of a man twice his age. In the truest essence, he was a Marine. (more…)
In: Military · Tagged with: Iraq, Marines
