IRAN: THE NEXT BIG LIE
NEW YORK - Did Iran help al-Qaida to stage the Sept 11 attacks on the United States? Perhaps, suggested the US 9/11 commission which claimed Iran allowed 8 al-Qaida future airplane hijackers to pass through Iran from Afghanistan between 7 and 11 months before the attacks on America.
Unnamed senior Bush Administration officials also claim Iran proposed collaborating with al-Qaida in 2000, but was rejected by Osama bin Laden. `Maybe we attacked the wrong country,’ one of the dimmer lights in Congress ruefully observed.
There has been no evidence produced that Iran knew of the 9/11 attacks or assisted them. But never mind Iran. The Bush Administration still has not published the White Paper promised by Colin Powell in late 2001 proving Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida were behind 9/11. What we have seen is a faked tape of bin Laden, a lot of faked documents produced by the Afghan communists who run the so-called Northern Alliance, and more fakery from the Chalabi group in Iraq.
Why would Iran, knowing it was in Bush’s gunsights, join in a monstrous terrorist attack that, if linked to Tehran, could have brought US nuclear retaliation? Iranians are a very clever, sophisticated people, and certainly not suicidal.
This column has long predicted the Bush Administration would orchestrate a pre-election crisis over Iran designed to whip up patriotic fervor in the US and distract public and media attention from the Iraq fiasco. Bush’s strategic mentor, Israel’s PM Ariel Sharon, called on the US `to march on Tehran the day after it takes Baghdad.’
The growing clamor over Iran’s nuclear intentions, with rumblings about Fall US-Israeli air strikes against Iran’s reactors, are part of this manufactured crisis.
Remember, these latest fevered claims about Iran come from the same `reliable intelligence sources’ and neo-conservative hawks that insisted Iraq had a vast arsenal of weapons of mass destruction that threatened the US, and intimate links to al-Qaida.
The Iran-Afghan border is 1,000 km border of wild, broken terrain that is extremely difficult to police. Large numbers of smugglers cross this border on countless hidden trails, bringing hashish and gems into Iran.
The US, with fleets of planes, helicopters and sensors, cannot stop a flood of undocumented Mexicans crossing its own southwestern borders. Why should the poorly equipped Iranians do any better?
Didn’t these same 9/11 hijackers also enter the US unchallenged? Of course. They simply slipped unnoticed into Iran and the US. No one knew their intentions. This is the most likely explanation. The hijackers studied flying in the US, not Iran.
Iran does not have a unified government. This nation of 72.5 million is afflicted by feuding factions that have produced a state of political chaos. Iran has certainly been involved in acts of terrorism, possibly against Jews in Argentina. Militants from the intelligence service or Pasdaran( Revolutionary Guards), might have let al-Qaida mujahidin to slip across the border without Tehran’s knowledge.
Far more important, there are two key facts media and government are not telling you. First, Iran and al-Qaida were bitter enemies.
In Afghanistan, al-Qaida ardently backed the Pushtun-dominated, Sunni Taliban movement, which hated Shia’s as heretics and killed large numbers of them. Shia Iran ( and Russia) armed and supported Taliban’s greatest foe, Ahmad Shah Massoud and his Northern Alliance, composed of Dari (a Persian dialect)-speaking Tajiks, Afghan Communists, and Shia. Massoud was a long-time collaborator with Soviet/Russian intelligence.
After Taliban killed a group of Iranian intelligence agents, Iran almost invaded Afghanistan to overthrow Taliban. Just before 9/11, Al-Qaida assassinated Massoud. Iran quietly aided the US invasion of Afghanistan that overthrew Taliban, and jailed scores of al-Qaida members, including one of bin Laden’s sons.
Active Iranian cooperation with al-Qaida seems illogical. Of course my enemy’s enemy is my friend, and collaboration was theoretically possible, but Iran derived no benefit whatever from the 9/11 attacks. – quite the contrary.
Second, the Bush Administration and former Clinton officials are trading accusations that the other was responsible for failing to take action against al-Qaida and ally Taliban prior to 9/11. But what no one admits is that both administrations sent millions in aid to Taliban until four months before 9/11.
Why? Because CIA was considering using Taliban and al-Qaida as weapons against Iran and, possibly, China, where a Muslim insurgency was underway in the remote Sinkiang region. This nasty, embarrassing intrigue remains buried. That’s the major reason no action was taken against Taliban and al-Qaida before 9/11. No one in Washington dares admit to playing footsie with the devil.
Iran is now Washington’s latest whipping boy. Those who deceived the US into invading Iraq are at it again with Iran. So when you read or see alarmist reports about the looming danger from Iran, remember Iraq. Caution is advised.
Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2004
Posted by Eric Margolis on July 26, 2004 03:01 PM
Comments:
In the first Gulf war, the reason given as to why the Coalition did not advance on Baghdad, was that with the removal of Saddam, the Americans feared creating a power vacuum which Iran could have exploited.
However, with 9/11, not only did the US have to avenge the destruction of World Trade Towers and damage to the Pentagon - symbols of American economic and military power, it was clear how vulnerable the economy was to a sudden shock. The economy has yet to recover to its pre 9/11 level.
Neo-cons or not, any one with any sense can see that the economy could not survive yet another shock – say the loss of oil supplies from the Middle East. An economy built on increasing levels of debt – 400 billion annual federal deficit and a 400 billion annual trade deficit – the Americans need to be active in securing their energy sources, notwithstanding whether democracy will exist in Iraq or not or the survival of Israel for that matter.
With the powers in Iran on shaky ground, resurrecting the menace of the Great Satan would make for a hope of revival of their political fortunes. Politics 101: If in trouble find a scapegoat.
To me, both sides are looking for a fight. Fortunately, the Americans couldn’t stomach a march on Tehran.
Posted by JohnZAdams at July 27, 2004 03:52 PM
I suppose as an American I must say: Thank Goodness for the Canadians!
Eric Margolis should also have pointed out that there were far more Al-Qaida and Talibans travelling through - and staying within - the United States freely than they ever had the opportunity to do so vis a vis Iran.
If travelling through a Nation by Al-Qaida Operatives constitutes complicity of that Nation, then Americans the biggest accomplice themselves! So why blame it on Iran? Eric Margolis told us why!
The American media has become a pathetic tool in the clasps of this Administration. True Patriotism to American Media should have been reporting the Truth - no matter what. Instead they have been self-censuring! Informing the Public of Investigative Journalism has been abandoned in the case of not only the Iraqi Situation but for the whole of the Region.
This is simply disgraceful.
I am grateful for Eric Margolises, and other Canadians. I suppose eventually Canadians will also be branded by these supposed American Patriots as “enemies”. It is so sad to see such bonds of affinity and common values are being abused so unjustly by such ill-informed and or ill-intending persons.
I am shocked that so few can fool so many for so long!
When will all this end?
Posted by Isphahani-Kermani at August 7, 2004 12:16 PM
The analogy with Mexican illegal immigrants is incorrect, as Californian agribusiness is addicted to cheap Mexican labor and would therefore be opposed to any serious crackdown. However, the fact that al-Qaeda are Sunni extremists while Iran is Shi’a should be enough to refute any notion of co-operation.
Posted by George Carty at November 12, 2004 08:04 AM
Iraq, iran and Venezuela is the name which has been threatened by the hand of U.S Imperialism for many decades.As eric mentioned that Iran connection with OS.org is an illogicall due to their enmity previously with shah of iran and they OS.org or Taliban called Irani-shia as ‘Rafidha’
so how come they could be an enlist elite.well crossing borders from neiboring countries doesnt show any collaboration among ‘em.there’s so many illicit crossing of kids,women and as well as hasish from every border even in the U.S.there’s more than thousand who cross borders illegally every year like in USA it happens so why dont in iran or in afghanistan.don’t exaggerate small things why dont you exaggerate that all 9-11 hijackers took training inside in USA not elsewhere.U.S doing busy to make ludicrous claims over Iraq,Iran an afghanistan and as well as Venezuela.U.S. turns mad after 911.its aggression is nothing but a WDC=Wild Delusion Cabal.
which they’ve give the name of Washigton D.C.
Posted by Salamscion at September 25, 2005 04:24 PM
