Rumsfeld: Syria and Iran interference in Iraq constitute "hostile acts." I have no idea why Syria would send night-vision goggles to Iraq -- maybe they want to join the Axis? But the Iranian-based Badr corps it is made up of Shi'ite Iraqi exiles and defectors (and ex-POWs) who fought Saddam back when Rummy was smiling and shaking hands with him. Aren't Badr the sort of anti-Saddam allies the coalition was seeking for its "uprising" in the south a few days ago?
I find the Badr corps movements puzzling.
As for Syria, my guess is that this Rumsfeld accusation is just laying the ground work for the real charge still to come: that Iraqi WMD were moved to Syria for safe keeping.
Ah the ever-expanding axis of doctor evil and its weapons of doom...
The Badr Corps is a peculiar group and its merits as a fighting unit are totally unknown. Some are probably ex-POWs from 1980-88 and refugees from the marshes, i.e. they just want to go home. But they do have robust anti-Saddam credentials and as Chomsky has somewhat disingenuously suggested (see this week's New Yorker), if the US really wanted to promote democracy in Iraq, in the past it could have supported an Iranian invasion of Iraq.
Why did Rummy mention the Badr? a) He reckons some Badr members work for Teheran's intelligence services (probably true); b) He reckons another group of armed locals will complicate the military situation for the US/UK occupation in southern Iraq (undoubtedly true); c) he's trying to change the subject from the civilian casualty toll in Baghdad and failure of shock'n'awe (you betcha).
As I read it, Chomsky's suggestion was disingenuous until it was revealed to be facetious. He was playing Socrates with a student in that "violent, very violent" way of his.
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- bruno 3-29-2003 12:30 am
I find the Badr corps movements puzzling.
As for Syria, my guess is that this Rumsfeld accusation is just laying the ground work for the real charge still to come: that Iraqi WMD were moved to Syria for safe keeping.
- jim 3-29-2003 1:17 am
Ah the ever-expanding axis of doctor evil and its weapons of doom...
The Badr Corps is a peculiar group and its merits as a fighting unit are totally unknown. Some are probably ex-POWs from 1980-88 and refugees from the marshes, i.e. they just want to go home. But they do have robust anti-Saddam credentials and as Chomsky has somewhat disingenuously suggested (see this week's New Yorker), if the US really wanted to promote democracy in Iraq, in the past it could have supported an Iranian invasion of Iraq.
Why did Rummy mention the Badr? a) He reckons some Badr members work for Teheran's intelligence services (probably true); b) He reckons another group of armed locals will complicate the military situation for the US/UK occupation in southern Iraq (undoubtedly true); c) he's trying to change the subject from the civilian casualty toll in Baghdad and failure of shock'n'awe (you betcha).
- bruno 3-29-2003 10:05 pm
As I read it, Chomsky's suggestion was disingenuous until it was revealed to be facetious. He was playing Socrates with a student in that "violent, very violent" way of his.
- tom moody 3-29-2003 10:21 pm