Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christmas surprise

One of the many things that the last few years have demonstrated is that holidays are an excellent time for geopolitical mischief-making. The mischief makers assume, correctly, that the people who are supposed to keeping an eye on things will be out of town. Most recent exhibit: the Russia-Georgia flareup.

And now Christmas is coming. So what announcement pops out of multi-national forces Iraq (which is going to have to be renamed pretty soon, but anyway) --

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces apprehended a suspected Iranian intelligence agent and an alleged associate during an operation early Friday in Qastin, approximately 30 km north of Baghdad.

Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted an alleged commander of Iranian special operations in Iraq who is also believed to be involved in facilitating training of Iraqi militants at Islamic Republican Guard Corps-Quds Force training camps.


So they are claiming to have an actual Iranian in custody and not just speculating about links between an Iraqi detainee and Iran. This one needs watching.

UPDATE: We knew it didn't sound right. The press release has been amended --

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces apprehended an Iraqi citizen suspected to be an Iranian intelligence agent and an alleged associate during an operation early Friday in Qastin, approximately 30 km north of Baghdad.

Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted the suspected agent, an Iraqi who is allegedly a commander of Iranian special operations in Iraq


They still cannot produce any actual Iranians directing insurgent activity in Iraq.

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