Hezbollah, in Iraq, Refrains From Attacks on Americans

[bemildred]

ASHINGTON, Nov. 23 - Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite group, has established a significant presence in Iraq, but is not taking part in attacks on American forces inside the
country, according to current and former United States officials and Arabs familiar with the organization.

Iran is believed to be restraining Hezbollah from attacking American troops, and that is prompting a debate within the Bush administration about Iran's objectives, administration
officials said.

Hezbollah's presence has become a source of concern as it is recognized by counterterrorist experts to have some of the most dangerous operatives in the world.

Both American and Israeli intelligence have found evidence that Hezbollah operatives have established themselves in Iraq, according to current and former United States officials.
Separately, Arabs in Lebanon and elsewhere who are familiar with the organization say Hezbollah has sent what they describe as a security team of up to 90 members to Iraq.

NY Times

[JM]

1. This is bad

Isn't Hezbollah on the terrorist list? If so, how can we look the other way in Iraq, then either support Israel in blowing the shit out of them in Lebanon or doing it ourselves in Syria?

Later,
JM

[54anickel]

2. Hmm, State Dept vs Pentagon? Enemy of my enemy games again?

I'm confused, what are "we" up to now?

Another critical concern of the Iranians is the American policy toward the People's Mujahedeen, an anti-Iranian terrorist group that operated for years on the Iraqi side of the border under the protection of Mr. Hussein's government.

Since the American occupation of the country, the Bush administration has been deeply divided over how to handle this group. Pentagon officials and conservatives inside and outside the administration have been open to the idea of using it against the Iranians, but State Department officials have argued that the group should be disarmed and rendered ineffective to improve relations with Iran.

Last spring, President Bush ordered that American forces disarm the group, but some administration officials say the Pentagon has purposefully been lax in its treatment of the organization. An administration official said last week that the United States military had allowed some members of the People's Mujahedeen to enter and leave Iran, and that the group still had equipment for broadcasting its antigovernment messages into Iran.

But the Iranians remain suspicious about American intentions, and some administration officials speculated that Tehran might be trying to use Hezbollah's presence in Iraq as a counterweight, to deter the Americans from unleashing the Mujahedeen against Iran.

[bemildred]

3. This is all from "intelligence sources".

None of it is to be taken as fact. However, I can
see no reason why these "sources" should want to say
nice things about Hezbollah, so I tend to think that
there might be something behind it.

The interesting point, if that is so, is that is suggests
that we have not yet seen all of the interested parties
in Iraq join in the fight against us, i.e. that there is
plenty of room for things to get worse.

Why the NYT feels it should tell us about these speculations
is another question that I have no answer for.

[truthspeaker]

4. let's see

1) Iran is Iraq's neighbor.

2) Iran and Iraq fought a bitter, deadly 10-year war.

3) The two countries have been enemies for a long time.

4) We took out the anti-Iran Baath party and left a power vacuum.

Heck, I'd be surprised if there weren't Hizbollah agents in Iraq. I'm surprised there's only 90. Yet another totally predictable consequence of the Iraq invasion.