Forbidden Donut

http://lebop.blogspot.com/2008/05/hezbolla...e-takeover.html
http://patdollard.com/2008/05/hezbollah-gu...-neighborhoods/

I liked the extra information and all, but I really haven't seen anything that connects Iran to Hezbollah beyond a bunch of coincidental stuff. I read this, but basically came away with, "because Iran would benefit from some of Hezbollah's actions and policies, they are intrinsically related, and in fact are supportive of and directly benefiting from anything they do."

I mustn't've been looking in the right places to see arguments that make sense and aren't just flagrant conjecture presented as historical fact. Got anything handy? I'm curious now. (In looking it up I did see that it's a pretty common belief so it must have at least some credence)

I probably sound like a troll, so I'll finish up with this:
We should all be able to agree that this was a retardedly irresponsible move for Hezbollah. And that's pretty much par for the course.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/05/africa/05iran.php
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/05/05/mili...litias-in-iran/
http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/070816...sman_report.pdf




http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287632,00.html

http://www.douglasfarah.com/article/235/th...lutionary-guard
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_mul...l/hezbollah.htm





http://www.defense-update.com/newscast/040...ysis-190407.htm
Even UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern during his latest visit to Lebanon. Following his Middle East tour briefing, the UN Security Council is considering to form a special investigation team, probing implementation of its resolution on Lebanon. Sources in New York said the secretary-general informed the Security Council that he had obtained evidence from Israel and from "another country" indicating that Syria and Iran were indeed smuggling arms into Lebanon.

Those sources disclose that advanced Iranian-Chinese missiles have already been smuggled into Lebanon. Among these are allegedly Iranian Sayyad (U.S. Hawk derivative), Misagh 2 (derivative of the Russian SA-18 Igla) and Shahab Tagheb (Chinese HQ-7 derivative) air defense missiles.

Unconfirmed reports, from sources close to IDF intelligence, indicated that this week, Hezbollah had officially formed its new air defense wing, for which several hundred graduates had just ended their training in Iran, learning how to use air defense missiles in combat. According to these reports, a group of specially selected Hezbollah trainees were flown from Damascus to Tehran early March to start a six week training session held by Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) instructors at the Imam Ali base.

Lebanon is considered the finest example of Quds Force "success" and is used as the front line in the campaign against Israel . The Force operates in Lebanon through local headquarters nicknamed "the Lebanese corps." Every activity undertaken by the Quds Force in Lebanon is coordinated with the Syrian regime, and Syria serves as the conduit through which weapons are shipped from Iran to Lebanon . The Quds Force gave Hezbollah massive active support during the second Lebanon war (July-August 2006) and was integrated into the organization's command structure. After the war it performed a significant role in rehabilitating Hezbollah's military might, one of whose manifestations was the smuggling of weapons from Iran to Lebanon
The Quds Force plays a central role in the training received by Hezbollah operatives in camps in Iran , using bases and facilities belonging to the Revolutionary Guards. The training is intended to raise the Hezbollah operatives' military level and to teach them to use the modern weapons Iran provides them with. Revolutionary Guards also train Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon , especially at bases and facilities in the Beqa'a Valley/.

Hezbollah operatives undergo various types of training in Iran , from integrated maneuvers to launching anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, including Sagger and TOW missiles. Special attention is given to training Hezbollah operatives in the use of strategic and advanced weapons, such as ground-to-ground rockets with a range of more than 75 km (46.4 miles) and unmanned planes. Revolutionary Guards officers helped Hezbollah launch an Iranian-made unmanned plane into Israel in November 2004.

The two main camps used most often by the Quds Force for the training of foreign terrorist-operatives are the Imam Ali camp in Tehran and the camp at Bahonar near Karaj , north of Tehran. Two Hezbollah guerillas who were captured by the IDF during the second Lebanon war stated during interrogation that they had been trained by Revolutionary Guards operatives at the camp near Karaj . One of these was Hussein Ali Suleima, who was involved in the abducting of the two IDF soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, the act which led to the outbreak of the war. Suleima stated that he had been trained in Iran by the IRGC as part of a group of 40-50 Hezbollah operatives from Lebanon. Their passports were not stamped in either Syria or Iran to hide the fact that they had undergone training in Iran.

In Lebanon itself Hezbollah has established at least six major training bases and weapons depots, the majority located in the Bekka valley. Until the Syrian withdrawal these had been under the supervision and protection of the Syrian Army in Lebanon and run by Iranian IRGC instructors and logistical experts. According to intelligence reports (not updated after September 2006) the location of these bases are:

http://www.heritage.org/research/middleeas...oad/wm_1815.pdf
Mugniyah was a favorite surrogate of Iran, reportedly
working closely with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence
and Security (MOIS) and the Revolutionary
Guard’s elite Quds Force unit, which maintained a
long-term presence in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, a
Hezbollah stronghold. Mugniyah reportedly played
an important role in arranging the training of Palestinian
terrorists by Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary
Guards. He helped arrange the aborted 2002
transfer of 50 tons of Iranian arms to the Palestine
Liberation Organization, using the freighter Karine
A, which was intercepted by Israeli naval forces
before it could smuggle its deadly cargo into Gaza.

http://www.rightsidenews.com/20080318531/g...technology.html
(Different model 122mm Grad rockets manufactured in Russia and China were supplied to Hezbollah in Lebanon by Iran and Syria.

Most of the rockets launched by Hezbollah at population centers in Israel during the second Lebanon war were various types of 122mm Grad rockets.)

http://blog.technonllc.com/index.php?/arch...Operations.html
In an interview granted to an Iranian TV channel, Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hassan Nasrallah’s deputy, stresses that Hezbollah’s policy of terrorist operations against Israel (including suicide bombings and rocket fire) requires jurisprudent permission of the Iranian leadership.

2. During the interview, Sheikh Naim Qassem uncharacteristically admitted that Hezbollah does not pursue its own policy but rather submits to the authority of the Iranian leadership, which instructs it even on such military-operative issues as the confrontation with Israel . Such instructions are based on the ideology of the Iranian Islamic regime, set forth by Ayatollah Khomeini, whose key principle is the rule of the jurisprudent ( wilayat al-faqih ). The title used by Sheikh Naim Qassem to describe Hezbollah's source of authority is “al-wali al-faqih” (the ruling jurisprudent), a title formerly used by Ayatollah Khomeini and presently used by his successor, leader 1Ali Khamenei.

3. In the second part of the interview granted to Al-Kawthar, Sheikh Naim Qassem described the relationship between Hezbollah and the Iranian leadership, noting that:

a. Hezbollah was founded and commenced activities in 1982, based on a religious ruling made by Imam Khomeini, who considered jihad (holy war) against Israel to be an Islamic religious duty.

b. Hezbollah is committed to receive religious instruction regarding the nature of the confrontation with Israel from al-wali al-faqih (the ruling jurisprudent, a title nowadays reserved exclusively for leader Khamenei). For example, Sheikh Naim Qassem had the following to say about suicide bombing attacks: “No one may kill himself without a jurisprudent permission.”

c. Firing rockets on Israeli civilians also requires the jurisprudent permission of the Iranian leadership.

d. Hezbollah has means to inquire (implying with the source of religious authority, Ali Khamenei) “what can or cannot be done, what is our duty and what is subject to our own consideration.”

4. The above statements made by Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hassan Nasrallah's deputy, are yet another testimony that Hezbollah considers Iran and its leader Khamenei to be the highest source of authority of its activity and policy, including its policy of terrorist operations (even though in public statements Hezbollah often plays down the fact that its policy of terrorist attacks is set in Tehran). Based on that concept, which is unique to the Islamic revolution in Iran , Hezbollah nurtures Khamenei's personality cult among its operatives and among the Shi'ite community in Lebanon , portraying the “leader” as a role model and as an example to be followed (see Appendix /cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="B)" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />. It should be noted that Hezbollah seniors, namely Hassan Nasrallah in the past and Sheikh Muhammad Yazbek in the present, have been given the title of Khamenei's Islamic religious representative ( wakil shar'i ) in Lebanon . 2

*note: I had to stop quoting things at the end, grrr

http://debka.com/headline.php?hid=5258

pretty direct if you ask me

I'd like to start by saying that you've done a great job compiling stuff to look over. I read a bit of it, but I'm at work so I don't have that much time. I'll get to it later.

From what I did read I wanted to say that there is a difference between the IRGC and Iran. It's like saying that the Sinn Fein is the same as Ireland. There probably are connections, but it falls short of the type of evidence I'd like to see before we march over there to turn the country into a glass parking lot. (not what your suggesting, I know)

The interview with Sheikh Naim Qassam was pretty intriguing though. I'm not sure exactly what he's saying though. It can be read one of two ways (skimmed it due to time constraints so correct me if I'm wrong):
1. Iran endorses and supports Hezbollah
or
2. Iran neither endorses nor condemns Hezbollah, but does in fact try to keep them under control as much as possible.

Just because Iran is asking for Hezbollah to ask for jurisprudent permission before doing some of there most questionable activities does not mean that they endorse it. It kind of seems like they are trying to slow those kinds of things down. However this is probably how an evil Iran would want to be seen.

Ask someone if they are lying and you'll never know the truth...

Using Iranian Arms does not mean they are endorse by Iran any more than the insurgents' use of AK47's means they are in league with Russia.

Altogether though it's hard to discount some kind of connection. Thanks for all that, I'll be busy tonight I guess.

A note from the lefty in me:
What does it matter if Iran and Hezbollah both want to blow Israel to kingdom come? Israel's not a whole lot better for the region than Hezbollah. I thought we were in this to keep America safe. Israel has proven she can take care of herself. And then some.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quds_Force'


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Leader_of_Iran


So yes, the IRGC is connected to the Iranian govt, even though Ahmadinejad might not control it.

And yes, Israel can defend itself with ease, but that doesnt make what Hezbollah or Iran are doing okay. Iran is indirectly killing our soldiers in Iraq through funding and training Shiite militias and through allowing for the production of IEDs and EFPs to get sent to Iraq. Iran is also fomenting terror by funding and training Hezbollah and Hamas. The Iranian people are fine (like 70% like the US), but their leadership has hijacked the country.

Based on that wiki that Quds force sounds pretty awesome.


also


I also noticed a pretty serious shift in Quds Force activity somewhere in there. They go from being aligned with US policy in the region to fucking with our shit. I wonder what happened?

1. It allied with the Northern Alliance because the Taliban/AQ was/is Sunni
2. It did not really detain Bin Laden's son, it put him in house arrest and allowed him to continue to make phone calls etc
3. It gave out aid to the people of Lebanon to make itself look good

And, do you think anybody should be able to buy Iranian weaponry? Arent there international arms agreements that ban the sale of arms to certain groups? If the US cant legally ship arms to civil war groups in Africa, then neither should those groups be able to buy Iranian weapons. The truth is Iran can pick and choose who their customers are in terms of what is legal and not. If there were bombmaking plants in Mexico that were being used to ship bombs over the border and kill Americans and the Mexican government could put an end to it but didnt, then what should the US response be? Bomb those factories out of existence? It relates directly to Iranan IED-factories being allowed to run and ship bombs over the border to kill coalition forces. It shouldnt be tolerated.

Yep. Nobody is able to get guns illegally in our country. No siree. You're suggesting that a government that has proven itself pretty inadequate should be able to do something no government has ever been able to do before and shut down the black market.

So if a bomb factory in Mexico were making bombs that had killed Americans, the American Government should drop bombs on that factory and kill Mexicans? You're policies sound a little too "tit for tat" for my liking.

I say the American Government is just as responsible for the deaths of Coalition Forces as the Iranians. Wait, that's a lie. They are way more responsible because they can actually do something to stop it, and they aren't.

Yeah, the key point is that the criminals in the US get their guns illegally. Thats a big difference from the IRGC supplying guns directly to Hezbollah. Plus, in the US at least we make an effort to curb the black market. Iran lets the bombmakers have free reign in their country because it goes along with their foreign policy of fking up Iraq enough to get the coalition out and insert a Shia govt in.

ftfy

/my troll-fu is weak atm

slightly off topic comment, but hezbollah sounds like it should be the name of a rap supergroup

The Haze Ballas maybe?