Bush's Secret Ops on the move?

We've talked about watching for an Iraqi Gulf of Tonkin incident manufactured by Bush to escalate the WOT into Iran. Well, if the not so "secret renditions" by this administration are a sign, then it's full steam ahead!

Another Iranian diplomat, abducted in Karradah, a heavily Shiite neighborhood and controlled by the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, or SCIRI, has now officially "disappeared."

"Details of the kidnapping remain murky, but one government official said it began when gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms blocked Sharafi's car in the Karradah district, forced him into one of their two vehicles and sped away."

more below...

This alone would seem like another one of many daily abductions except for this:

"Iraqi police then opened fire, disabling the second vehicle and arresting the four gunmen inside, the official said.
Police took the four to a police station. The next day, Iraqis in uniform appeared there, showed government badges and demanded the four suspects — ostensibly to transfer them to another lockup, the official said. The authorities complied, and the men disappeared."

Now who do you suppose has access to those "stinking badges,"  well trained soldiers carrying U.S. weapons,  U.S. vehicles, AND has the knowledge (and I assume the paper work and how to fill it out) of being able to drop in and officially take terror suspects away without questions?

Shiite lawmakers said they believed Sharafi was detained in an intelligence operation carried out by the Iraqi Special Operations Command, an elite unit under the direct supervision of the U.S. military.

Although rogue elements are staging kidnappings on the regular, we all know the Bush penchant for extra-ordinary renditions and his desire to escalate the war into Iran to "Wag the Dog" away from  his complete failure in Iraq. Could this be the reason that a later report, while putting the number of assailants (kidnappers) at 30, has no mention of some being captured and then being smoothly rescued and released? Even the Al Jazeera version is unclear on that. It would make it easier that way for Bush to try and convince us that the kidnappers were not U.S. operatives. Can't let a pesky thing like facts get in the way of a good spin, ya know. "It was those gosh darn insurgents!"   See? We don't need no stinking Congress to start a war.

•  You remind me of something

  I believe you sound just like the president on the eve of the Iraq war, your full of assumption, accusation, shaky logic, and yet.. not a shred of proof.

  An interesting similarity.

  I will take the word of the soldiers in Iraq who say this operation wasn't one of theres, over reports from the likes of Al Jazeera.

  I suggest that next time you write a diary like this, instead of simply grabbing some news clippings to back up your conspiracy theory.

  You might try offering a couple alternative versions of what might have happened, but admit that the facts are still in debate.

  It give you more creditability

  by OblivionsPuppet on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 12:40:05 AM PDT

  •  insofar as this is

    spin, you may be right. The diary title is over-the-top hyperbole, imho. For that reason, I won't recommend.

    But there is no shred of proof that is 100% verifiable on anything that leaves Iraq by way of justification.  All facts are in debate, as are all speculations.

    It's speculation on how intensely Iran is involved in the machinations of Iraqi politics.  Even the CIA admits this in the latest NIE.

    As for the soldiers in Iraq - and regarding Fireshadow's asssertion of secret renditions, well, the Army, the soldiers were never technically involved in renditions, except to the extent that folks like Odierno's 4th ID captured dozens of Iraqis in a net and those were later transported to Guantanamo on the basis of no crime. So, no, I wouldn't personally speculate that the actual Army or the "regular" Marines would undertake an operation like this, if it were US generated.

    The CIA might be a more interesting target of speculation - or any SpecOp group. Or any contractor group. Or a new branch of SpecOps which may have deployed within the last few weeks.

    I don't want to believe that we, meaning the US, are in any way involved in this.

    But there has been too much strange s**t going on inside the borders of Iraq on an almost daily/nightly basis. And the rhetoric seems routinely spaced and targeted each day with random breadcrumbs in the press about actions against Iranian saboteurs or accusations against Iranian agents and the intelligence community outside of the DoDInt doesn't appear with the same info that DoDInt seems to have.

    So what do you make of it?

    Good luck to you in July, btw.

    by exmearden on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:27:07 AM PDT

    •  I should add...

      since I'm not posting a diary anytime soon, that there is too much other evidence outside the regular Army that indicates massive buildup of forces - both US and possibly Canadian in support in the Persian Gulf and close by in the Indian.

      It's no coincidence that a Navy man is now being confirmed as CENTCOM chief. Especially one who has done a lot of his graduate work overtime on US airstrike capabilities.

      Meanwhile, the Bataan ESG is now in the Gulf from the Meditteranean.  They have some previous history in that area, iirc...

      Paranoid? Spin? Yes and no. If I were Army or a land-based Marine, I'd sleep with my helmet on. That is what I will be saying to my son-in-law soon. Again.

      Those who cannot learn from history...and all that jazz.

      by exmearden on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:57:24 AM PDT

      •  Hmmm....

        But there has been too much strange s**t going on inside the borders of Iraq on an almost daily/nightly basis. And the rhetoric seems routinely spaced and targeted each day with random breadcrumbs in the press about actions against Iranian saboteurs or accusations against Iranian agents and the intelligence community outside of the DoDInt doesn't appear with the same info that DoDInt seems to have.

        I freely admit that there is indeed strange happenings, we have reports that the Iranians are backing Shia militias.

        True or not? Personally I can see it happening, but the government has yet to reveal public the reasons why. I do believe though the President is upping the posutre in the Middle East to serve as a warning to Iran and Syria against possible meddling.

        If we did get involved in a conflict with Iran, it would be a war fought with aircraft, and long range missiles.

        Anyway thanks for the comment, I will try my best in July.

        by OblivionsPuppet on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:13:14 AM PDT

      •  A source to poke around in....

        From Military.com

        The Air Force is increasing the number of personnel and aircraft in the Middle East to support the 21,500 ground troops joining the battle in Iraq as part of President Bush’s "surge" plan, the service’s chief strategist in the region tells Inside the Air Force.

        "We have increased our force posture in Iraq in anticipation of the surge," Lt. Col. Clint Hinote said in a Jan. 30 phone interview from the Air Force’s Combined Air Operations Center, located somewhere in Southwest Asia. The service does not disclose the exact location of the facility.

        "We’ve brought over more fighters to better provide overwatch for the ground units in Iraq," he said through a service spokeswoman in a Feb. 1 e-mail. "We’re also preparing to deploy more [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] assets to provide more information to ground ops.

        "We’re bringing over more tankers to meet the increased [operations], and we are flying our airlift assets at high capacity to move the huge amount of people and equipment," he added. "In addition to this, there’s the widely publicized deployment of two carrier strike groups to the [area of responsibility], which will further increase the air power footprint in theater."

        by coffeeinamrica on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 03:29:27 AM PDT

    •  Hey! I've got an idea!

      Why doesn't Bush have contractors or CIA personnel occupy the entire Iranian Embassy in Baghdad and hold its diplomats hostage for a few years? That'll show the Great Iranian Satan!

      by LanceBoyle on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 04:33:21 AM PDT

    •  Actually, I thought the title while

      being posited metaphorically may actually be spot on. The more one learns about the Bushes, the more difficult it becomes to discount the "coincidences". People refer to Bush as a facist metaphorically but the family has long ties to the "real deal" which has been very much active since WW2. Mostly though Italian intel and  P2 connections.
      Granpa, Prescott Bush financed the Nazi war machine.
      Here's an example where G.H. Bush subverted the 1979 election cycle:
      Bush 31

      What I found interesting was the Niger forged documents (Plamegate) have been linked to the same Italian operatives through Michael Ledeen whose name keeps popping up whenever some nefarious black ops appear involved. Ledeen works very closely to Bush and Cheney in this Whitehouse.

      by java4every1 on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 06:24:45 AM PDT

•  The Iraqi 36th Battalion

  was identified as the unit carrying out the abduction in some stories yesterday.  The 36th is under direct command of US forces, although the chain of command doesn't seem to run through the regular military.  

  My guess is that the 36th was founded as one of Negroponte's commando death squads back when he was sent in to do the job he did so effectively in Central America a generation ago.

  Litigatormom did a good diary on this abduction yesterday:  Iranian Diplomat Kidnapped in Baghdad.

  by LondonYank on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:00:53 AM PDT

  •  Oh, and change the title

    It's impolite to invoke Hitler in titles, even when referencing Dear Leader.

    From The Scotsman:

    The official said the diplomat, Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary at the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, was snatched in the central Karrada district on Sunday by 30 gunmen wearing the uniforms of a special Iraqi army unit that often works with US military forces.

    Mr Hosseini said Mr Sharafi was kidnapped outside a building that will house a branch of an Iranian bank in Baghdad. The Iraqi official said the gunmen were driving four-wheel-drive vehicles and a BMW and were wearing uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion, a special operations unit.

    The official said that police close to the scene opened fire on the gunmen and arrested six of them. Later, another security force came to the police station and said they were taking the six to the Serious Crimes building in Baghdad but the police discovered later that they never arrived there.

    by LondonYank on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:21:45 AM PDT

    •  Another suggestion to Diarist

      Read up on Godwin's law before invoking Hitler in an online debate.

      by zeus4prez on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:36:41 AM PDT

      •  Nice job sourcing that! n/t

        by Immigrant Punk on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:41:47 AM PDT

      •  any diary

        about Hitler will eventually mention George W. Bush.

        by i dunno on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 03:49:45 AM PDT

    •  When I read the title

      I was expecting to read about the new and improved patriot act and how the secret service can be used
      like SS

      by betterdeadthanred on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:54:17 AM PDT

  •  "Negroponte's commando death squads"

    You mean, like the ones they train at Ft. Benning, GA?

    Why would I believe the likes of them, over a reputable source of news like Al Jazeera?

    by Immigrant Punk on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:25:47 AM PDT

•  Stopped reading at Hitler.

  Just sayin'.  

  by lightiris on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 03:20:34 AM PDT

  •  "Bush's 'SS' "

    Social Security?  Secret Service?  Stinky Socks?

    by Plutonium Page on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 03:45:56 AM PDT

•  Wow

  The Hitler card and al-Jizz as a source. Only one way to respond:

  Dolma

  2 c. peanut or olive oil
  5 c. onion, chopped
  1 c. uncooked rice
  1 c. water
  1 c. parsley, chopped
  1/2 c. currants or seedless raisins
  1/2 c. pine nuts (optional)
  1/2 c. tomato sauce
  1/2 tsp. allspice
  1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  2 tbsp. salt
  1/2 tsp. black pepper
  Grape leaves

  Pour oil into cooking pot; add the onion and saute until golden brown. Add rice and water. Cook, covered, 30 minutes. Add all other ingredients except grape leaves; cook 5 minutes. Cool a little. Put a teaspoon of this mixture on each grape leaf and roll up. In bottom of baking pan, place some sliced onions, lemons, lettuce or grape leaves to prevent Dolmas from burning. Put Dolmas in pan, side by side. Put a large plate over them and pour enough water over to cover plate. Cook on low 1 hour. Cool in pot. Chill. Serve as appetizer, salad or cold entree.

  by Red Sox on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 05:37:14 AM PDT

•  Bush has forces at his disposal,

  it seems to me, who are accountable to no one outside of the administration, from the CIA folks who do renditions, to companies like Blackwater (with strong Republican ties) -  so I tend to think, Godwin me no Godwin.

  by epppie on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 06:37:07 AM PDT

•  Because Iraqi insurgents just aren't clever

  enough to pull something like this off, as opposed to the brilliant Bush team.

  by Geekesque on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 06:41:45 AM PDT

•  not the first

  Hitler comparison for this diarist.  The diarist does not appear to be a troll, though s/he has a habit of not including tip jars in diaries that are the most absurd and speculative.

  by dhonig on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 07:13:57 AM PDT

•  I will take all your advice to heart so TIP!

  The KOS community instincts and insights are generally right on. I did this as a sort of hyper tongue in cheek knee jerk reaction to the continuous gradual "slither" to war that this excuse for a Prez seems to be concocting.  And while I can imagine this entry may have me come across like Mel Gibson's character in the movie "Conspiracy Theory," I am not a troll, I just get frustrated sometimes with the disconnect of what my government appears to be doing and what they say they are doing, or not doing.  As for tip jars, I just learned about them coupla weeks ago.

  by Fireshadow on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 11:29:43 AM PDT