Intel Vets Tell Trump Iran Is Not Top Terror Sponsor

The Lurker · Dec 24, 2017

I didn't see anything about this on this forum, so I thought I might as well post it here now.

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/12/21/intel-vets-tell-trump-iran-is-not-top-terror-sponsor/

We are concerned by recent strident and stark public statements from key members of your Administration that paint Iran in very alarmist terms. The average American, without the benefit of history, could easily be persuaded that Iran poses an imminent threat and that there is no alternative for us but military conflict.

We find this uncomfortably familiar territory. Ten years ago former President George W. Bush was contemplating a war with Iran when, in November of 2007, intelligence analysts issued a formal National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) debunking the prevailing conventional wisdom; namely, that Iran was on the verge of getting a nuclear weapon. The NIE concluded that Iran had stopped working on a nuclear weapon in 2003.

Recalling this moment in his memoir, Decision Points, President Bush noted that the NIE’s “eye-popping” intelligence findings stayed his hand. He added this rhetorical question: “How could I possibly explain using the military to destroy the nuclear facilities of a country the intelligence community said had no active nuclear weapons program?”

Iran’s relationship with Hezbollah also has evolved radically. In the early years of the Islamic Republic, Hezbollah was often a proxy and sub-contractor for Iran. But during the last 20 years Hezbollah has become an entity and political force in its own right. It fought Israel to a standstill in 2006 in southern Lebanon, which was a watershed moment in establishing Hezbollah’s transformation into a conventional army. In the intervening years, Hezbollah, which is now part of the Lebanese government, also has turned away from the radical, religious driven violence that is the hallmark of the Sunni extremists, like ISIS.

The public image of Iran as a hotbed of fanatical terrorists has been usurped since the August 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in east Africa by Al Qaeda and other radical Sunni entities. The U.S. Government’s own list of terrorist attacks since 2001 shows a dramatic drop in the violence carried out by Iran and an accompanying surge in horrific acts by radical Sunni Muslims who are not aligned with Iran. The latest edition of the Global Terrorism Index, a project of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, shows that four groups accounted for 74 percent of all fatalities from terrorism in 2015 — Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and ISIS.

Thirteen of the 14 Muslim Groups identified by the U.S. intelligence community as actively hostile to the US are Sunni, not Shia, and are not supported by Iran:

– ISIS (Sunni)

– The Al-Nusra Front (Sunni)

– Al-Qa’ida Central (Sunni)

– Al-Qa’ida in Magheb (Sunni)

– Al-Qa’ida in Arabian Peninsula (Sunni)

– Boku Haram (Sunni)

– Al-Shabbab (Sunni)

– Khorassan Group (Sunni)

– Society of the Muslim Brothers (Sunni)

– Sayyaf Group in the Philippines (Sunni)

– Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan (Sunni)

– Lashgar i Taiba (Sunni)

– Jemaa Islamiya (Sunni)

– Houthis (Shia)

Official pronouncements on critical national security matters need to be based on facts. Hyperbole in describing Iran’s terrorist activities can be counterproductive. For this reason, we call attention to Ambassador Nikki Haley’s recent statement that it is hard to find a “terrorist group in the Middle East that does not have Iran’s fingerprints all over it.” The truth is quite different. The majority of terrorist groups in the region are neither creatures nor puppets of Iran. ISIS, Al-Qaeda and Al-Nusra are three of the more prominent that come to mind.

You have presented yourself as someone willing to speak hard truths in the face of establishment pressure and not to accept the status quo. You spoke out during the campaign against the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq as a historic mistake of epic proportions. You also correctly captured the mood of many Americans fatigued from constant war in far away lands. Yet the torrent of warnings from Washington about the dangers supposedly posed by Iran and the need to confront them are being widely perceived as steps toward reversing your pledge not to get embroiled in new wars.

I would suggest reading the whole article.

reinoe · Dec 24, 2017

The Lurker said:
I didn't see anything about this on this forum, so I thought I might as well post it here now.

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/12/21/intel-vets-tell-trump-iran-is-not-top-terror-sponsor/

I would suggest reading the whole article.

While I haven't read the article, it wouldn't surprise me if they told Trump that the U.S. is currently the top sponsor of terrorism. While the arming and training of ~~radical Islam terrorists~~ moderate rebels is winding down and being paid by the CIA, they're still operational.

The Lurker · Dec 24, 2017

reinoe said:
While I haven't read the article, it wouldn't surprise me if they told Trump that the U.S. is currently the top sponsor of terrorism. While the arming and training of ~~radical Islam terrorists~~ moderate rebels is winding down and being paid by the CIA, they're still operational.

From what I understand, it's the Pentagon that's currently paying the "moderate rebels," not the CIA.

Hawkeye10 · Dec 24, 2017

The problem for these chaps is with as often and as long as the American Intelligence Community has collectively turned in **** work getting people to listen is dicey.

reinoe · Dec 24, 2017

The Lurker said:
From what I understand, it's the Pentagon that's currently paying the "moderate rebels," not the CIA.

The CIA is directly paying a lot of ~~radical Islamic Terrorists~~ moderate rebels.

CIA paid terrorists are shocked that their government payments may come to an end under Trump.

It appears that the Pentagon is paying for their own separate private army of ~~radical Islamic terrorists~~ moderate rebels. Of course it was only a matter of time before the CIA and Pentagon back ~~radical Islamic terrorists~~ would start fighting each other. As exemplified here...

In comical display foreign policy ineptitude: Obama's paid terrorists are fighting each other.

The Lurker · Dec 24, 2017

reinoe said:
The CIA is directly paying a lot of ~~radical Islamic Terrorists~~ moderate rebels.

https://www.ft.com/content/a35244e6-6d2e-11e7-bfeb-33fe0c5b7eaa

It appears that the Pentagon is paying for their own separate private army of ~~radical Islamic terrorists~~ moderate rebels. Of course it was only a matter of time before the CIA and Pentagon back ~~radical Islamic terrorists~~ would start fighting each other. As exemplified here...

In comical display foreign policy ineptitude: Obama's paid terrorists are fighting each other.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Trump at least end the CIA program to arm and pay these so-called "moderate rebels?" It's too little, too late, but still.

Regardless, I think I read somewhere that the Jihadi groups (and I think ISIS) were fighting amongst themselves.

Do you believe that ISIS is nothing more than a false flag?

cuban smokes · Dec 24, 2017

Drumpf will never listen to anyone else, advisors, etc. Drumpf will only listen to his inner penis ..................

RetiredUSN · Dec 24, 2017

cuban smokes said:
Drumpf will never listen to anyone else, advisors, etc. Drumpf will only listen to his inner penis ..................

How many have been maimed or killed by IED's

apdst · Dec 24, 2017

The Lurker said:
I didn't see anything about this on this forum, so I thought I might as well post it here now.

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/12/21/intel-vets-tell-trump-iran-is-not-top-terror-sponsor/

I would suggest reading the whole article.

Where did these idiots come from?

apdst · Dec 24, 2017

cuban smokes said:
Drumpf will never listen to anyone else, advisors, etc. Drumpf will only listen to his inner penis ..................

Thankfully he's smart enough not to listen to these clowns in the OP's source.

Mycroft · Dec 24, 2017

The Lurker said:
I didn't see anything about this on this forum, so I thought I might as well post it here now.

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/12/21/intel-vets-tell-trump-iran-is-not-top-terror-sponsor/

I would suggest reading the whole article.

yawn...

Everyone has an opinion...even guys who are not working for the government anymore. I suggest they send their article to Dan Coates...wait for his thank you letter...and then go back to whatever they are doing to make ends meet.

Face it...these guys are out of the loop.

ecofarm · Dec 24, 2017

consortiumnews? Never heard of it.

cuban smokes · Dec 24, 2017

apdst said:
Thankfully he's smart enough not to listen to these clowns in the OP's source.

if Drumpf was smart enuff to listen to anything, or anyone, other than his inner penis he would STOP THE **** posting on Twitter .....................

cuban smokes · Dec 24, 2017

RetiredUSN said:
How many have been maimed or killed by IED's

what; he has more than one?

DaveFagan · Dec 24, 2017

ecofarm said:
consortiumnews? Never heard of it.

Only the best investigative news site in the US. Broke Iran/Contra. You should review the site so you no longer speak from ignorance. Robert Parry is the main reporter and a true patriot.
The US has been supporting al Qeda in Syria from Day one. If you want to have permanent wars to feed the permanent war industries you have to maintain a whole flock of terrorists. Just good marketing, don't ya' know?
/

ecofarm · Dec 24, 2017

DaveFagan said:
Only the best investigative news site in the US. Broke Iran/Contra. You should review the site so you no longer speak from ignorance. Robert Parry is the main reporter and a true patriot.
The US has been supporting al Qeda in Syria from Day one. If you want to have permanent wars to feed the permanent war industries you have to maintain a whole flock of terrorists. Just good marketing, don't ya' know?
/

A question is now "speaking from ignorance"? What douchebaggery. But your review tells me all I need to know.

iguanaman · Dec 24, 2017

reinoe said:
While I haven't read the article, it wouldn't surprise me if they told Trump that the U.S. is currently the top sponsor of terrorism. While the arming and training of ~~radical Islam terrorists~~ moderate rebels is winding down and being paid by the CIA, they're still operational.

The Kurds are not "radical Islam terrorists", they are our most trusted allies and follow a much more enlightened and modernized sect of Islam. Deserting them will be a huge mistake.

DaveFagan · Dec 24, 2017

ecofarm said:
A question is now "speaking from ignorance"? What douchebaggery. But your review tells me all I need to know.

Your question stated you were ignorant of Consortiumnews.com. I acknowledged that.
/

ecofarm · Dec 24, 2017

DaveFagan said:
Your question stated you were ignorant of Consortiumnews.com. I acknowledged that.
/

That's not what "speaking from ignorance" means, but you know that.

cuban smokes · Dec 24, 2017

DaveFagan said:
Only the best investigative news site in the US. Broke Iran/Contra. You should review the site so you no longer speak from ignorance. Robert Parry is the main reporter and a true patriot.
The US has been supporting al Qeda in Syria from Day one. If you want to have permanent wars to feed the permanent war industries you have to maintain a whole flock of terrorists. Just good marketing, don't ya' know?
/

funny; some folks with absolutely no GOV sec. clearance knew IC was goin' on B4 pretty much every US Congressman or Senator ................... funny what the drug community hears ..........

DaveFagan · Dec 24, 2017

ecofarm said:
That's not what "speaking from ignorance" means, but you know that.

You also need to check on Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity while you're at it. Be careful because they be about breakin' ya' bubble, don't ya' know? You are overloaded and pressurized on agenda misinformation and the dam might break. Ain't a bubble a wondrous thing? Knock, knock, can you hear me in there? Dark, eh?
/

ecofarm · Dec 24, 2017

DaveFagan said:
You also need to check on Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity while you're at it. Be careful because they be about breakin' ya' bubble, don't ya' know? You are overloaded and pressurized on agenda misinformation and the dam might break. Ain't a bubble a wondrous thing? Knock, knock, can you hear me in there? Dark, eh?
/

I've no idea what that rambling Unabomber gish gallop is about. Good day.

Mycroft · Dec 24, 2017

DaveFagan said:
The US has been supporting al Qeda in Syria from Day one.
/

Correction...

The Obama administration, Congressional Democrats and various Congressional Republicans have been supporting Al Qaeda in Syria from day one.

That pretty much ended when Trump took Office.

DaveFagan · Dec 24, 2017

Mycroft said:
Correction...

The Obama administration, Congressional Democrats and various Congressional Republicans have been supporting Al Qaeda in Syria from day one.

That pretty much ended when Trump took Office.

No, it did not. The USA evacuated about 2-3,000 ISIS from Raqqa. CIA arms. Pentagon arms. NGOs arm. Trump is just one arm of the octopus.
/

azgreg · Dec 24, 2017

apdst said:
Where did these idiots come from?

These idiots are all former officers of the US intelligence community and are actually on your side in the Russian hacking story.

Intel Vets Tell Trump Iran Is Not Top Terror Sponsor

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