US authorities foil brazen Iranian assassination plot against Saudi Ambassador

[Eeshaan]

Oh lordy. Where's Jack Bauer when we need him ?

But seriously, this is quite a handful.

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

Straight out of a movie script. Unbelievable how brazen the Iranian government has become. That they think that they can get away with something this audacious, either shows that they are severely overestimating their own & severely underestimating their enemies' capabilities.

Would be very interesting to see just what the US, Saudi & Israeli reaction to this is going to be. This isn't just some minor incident that can simply be set aside. There are going to be serious repercussions it seems... :mad

Anyways, kudos to the US law enforcement agencies for the great work that they did in uncovering this plot...

 

[STURM]

Straight out of a movie script. Unbelievable how brazen the Iranian government has become. That they think that they can get away with something this audacious, either shows that they are severely overestimating their own & severely underestimating their enemies' capabilities.

Anyways, kudos to the US law enforcement agencies for the great work that they did in uncovering this plot...

So the West once again foils another plot by the evil and despotic Iranians to create instability in the Middle East?? Unfortunatly as usual we are not told the full narrative here, just that the evil Iranians are up to mischief again........

We hardly hear about U.S. and Saudi efforts to aid Iranian ''dissidents'' [called terrorists by the Iranians] and attempts to forment regime change from within. Assuming the story is accurate, I wonder why the Saudi Ambassador would be targetted - perhaps because his country has been meddling in the affairs of another country and because his country has been treating citizens of another sect as 2nd class citizens? Will CNN remind us that the Saudis send troops and para-military units into neighbouring Bahrain, to help quell shiite riots or that the Saudis just last week were facing riots by the shiites?

 

[ngatimozart]

So the West once again foils another plot by the evil and despotic Iranians to create instability in the Middle East?? Unfortunatly as usual we are not told the full narrative here, just that the evil Iranians are up to mischief again........

We hardly hear about U.S. and Saudi efforts to aid Iranian ''dissidents'' [called terrorists by the Iranians] and attempts to forment regime change from within. Assuming the story is accurate, I wonder why the Saudi Ambassador would be targetted - perhaps because his country has been meddling in the affairs of another country and because his country has been treating citizens of another sect as 2nd class citizens? Will CNN remind us that the Saudis send troops and para-military units into neighbouring Bahrain, to help quell shiite riots or that the Saudis just last week were facing riots by the shiites?

This sounds like the plot to a Tom Clancy novel. I know the Iranian President is somewhat strident in his rhetoric, but isn't attacking or trying to waste the ambassador of a foreign state an act of war? I am unsure of the protocols here. I do know that even in times of war diplomats of combatants have been escorted out of enemy territory by third parties. Diplomats are covered by specific protocols and no country worth their salt breaks them.

Then again this could all be a setup and Iran is the fall guy. Mexican drug cartels were involved and they have an axe to grind with the US although I can't see any advantage to them winding up the US over Iran. But it could wheels within wheels.

 

[STURM]

This sounds like the plot to a Tom Clancy novel. I know the Iranian President is somewhat strident in his rhetoric, but isn't attacking or trying to waste the ambassador of a foreign state an act of war? I am unsure of the protocols here. I do know that even in times of war diplomats of combatants have been escorted out of enemy territory by third parties. Diplomats are covered by specific protocols and no country worth their salt breaks them.

Then again this could all be a setup and Iran is the fall guy. Mexican drug cartels were involved and they have an axe to grind with the US although I can't see any advantage to them winding up the US over Iran. But it could wheels within wheels.

To counter the U.S,/Sunni Arab/Israel alliance and to preserve it's interests in a hostile neighbourhood, Iran has provided support to Shiite minorities in the Gulf [it sees itself as the protector to all Shiites], it has a presence in Afghanistan, it is involved in Iraq which is natural as both countries have strong ties that go back hundreds of years [a point often overlooked by most], it has a longstanding relationship [together with Syria] with Hezbollah and is steadily building alliances in Central Asia - it has no need to kill any diplomat or resort to other simliar drastic measures. If indeed it was out to cause trouble, as the CNN article implies, there would be more subtle ways of doing it.

 

[skhan]

ok what next lets put sanctions on Iran or pre-emptive strike.....please....stop the crap...actually iran should immediately file a case with the international court in a few days that this mad country yanked iraq now they want to do it to us.....and sue them big time....even if nothing will work since international court is simply not that international or independent...it will set the stage in the world for that mad UN-(freak council) security council members should be barred from bringing forth any proposals for sanctions since they have veto power or they should give away such veto power in return to be able to propose sanctions on any nation and during that turn of vote other wee wee nations dying to sit on those seats can replace such freak nations or actually freaky govt. of nations.....i know for sure these permanent security councils out then will have to play kiss ass with countries like brazil,japan,india and maybe south africa.....multipolar world will turn them crazy and lot more hectic....oh n one last bit....somebody please quite the UN its a complete waste or start up another league....people are dying of violence, hunger, diseases, unlawfull layoff and the human race still can't act fast on such issues....SHAME!

 

[JTF-2]

Even the U.S. doesn't know what to do. Some are saying it's an "Act of War" while some say they should put sanctions on them.

As far as I know there are already a few U.S. sanctions on Iran.

And in terms of Military actions. What can they do? It's a much more of a law enforcement matter than a military one.

I'm thinking that the U.S. will try to use this to gather more allies in their case against Iran.

 

[Eeshaan]

What makes this thing shocking isn't that a covert act of violence was planned in an enemy nation.

No, it was the fact that the Iranians broke a rule of war that has been followed since biblical times. You may do whatsoever you like against a nation and it's armed forces, but you never touch a diplomat or ambassador. Even if he's the ambassador of an enemy nation.

That is one big line that Iran crossed IMHO. Had the attack actually succeeded, then USA & SA would have a legitimate reason to immediately declare & wage war against Iran.

One thing intrigues me. We all know about the sort of power struggle going on between Ahmedinaja & the Ayatollah. Might it be that this operation was planned with the knowledge & approval of only one of these 2 major figureheads ?

 

[Sampanviking]

Sounds very much like Iran Contra affair 2 to me.

Am I alone in picking up the revelation that a senior member of the Mexican Drug Cartel is a "Federal Agent"? I wonder if he made regular "business" trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan?

 

[welsh1]

Lets be realistic here, it would need a lot more than a dead ambassador I suspect for anything meaningful to happen.

How different do you think this is to what the US is doing in Iran? Don’t get me wrong I am not pro Iranian but supporting groups in the US to do its bidding is what the US has been for an awful long time to the Iranians.

I really can’t see the US taking major action, who would help the US and maybe more important could the US afford it? I think the other problem is that anything beyond sanctions could simply cause more trouble than its worth in the anti US backlash in the Muslim world.

 

[ngatimozart]

Lets be realistic here, it would need a lot more than a dead ambassador I suspect for anything meaningful to happen.

How different do you think this is to what the US is doing in Iran? Don’t get me wrong I am not pro Iranian but supporting groups in the US to do its bidding is what the US has been for an awful long time to the Iranians.

I really can’t see the US taking major action, who would help the US and maybe more important could the US afford it? I think the other problem is that anything beyond sanctions could simply cause more trouble than its worth in the anti US backlash in the Muslim world.

This stinks more than a 3 week old dead sheep. Somebody playing games and it isn't the Iranians. They are not dumb enough to pull off a stunt like this because they know what the ramifications could be. Truly if they wanted to waste a high level Saudi they could do it a lot closer to home and one far higher in the food chain. Just a thought maybe this a Ghadaffi op? He has the wherewithal and is devious enough to do something like this. He might be hiding but he still has resources and contacts. I aint seen his dead dismembered body yet, so as far as I'm concerned he's still alive.

To the Welsh boyo, Wales by 3 against France on Saturday night.

 

[RogerF16]

Sounds very much like Iran Contra affair 2 to me.

Am I alone in picking up the revelation that a senior member of the Mexican Drug Cartel is a "Federal Agent"? I wonder if he made regular "business" trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan?

hello there, i am new here, hoping my contributions and opinions will add some value.
Reading your comments, i would like to ask first, who is the real enemy? is it true we believe the Iranians are fool enough to open their cards against the West and Middle east countries involved? how about a mastermind Al-queda who want us to believe this a real treath, instead of looking for the real thing? we know the nightmares of the nuclear approach from the Iranians towards fullfiling International deadlines and requirements.
Who has been really under pressure from the intel forces lately? some of the main head leaders from this organization were taken down. I live near where the cartels are trying to impose their rules by using their fire power tactics, and would not be certain they will get involved in an international terrorist act, provided, they might not trust enough foreigners from the middle east. Money is a need now for them, considering the last outcome against the mexican marines/army forces. If the arms flow continue from the US into their hands, more threats may surge in the near future towards the borderline. An important solution is within the US laws and regulations as to whom and how to buy arms within the guns shops.
Further intel will be needed to ascertain no links will be among such groups and the terrorists.
Rogerf16 :soldier

 

[STURM]

how about a mastermind Al-queda who want us to believe this a real treath, instead of looking for the real thing?

As strange as this sounds it would appear that AQ and the West are in full agreement on one issue, well almost. The AQ leadership has just released a video praising the people of Tunisia and Libya for overthrowing their governments. Whilst the West was more than happy to see Gadaffi go, it was very concerned about Mubarak as unlike Gadaffi, he was their ''man'', as his overthrow might complicate things in other countries, where unpopular dictators who are ''friends'' and ''partners'' of the West might be in similiar danger of being overthrown by people who were foolish enough the believe that ''democracy' also applies to them. Like the U.S. AQ was caught totally unprepared by the Arab Spring, and both have seen influence weakened because of the Arab Spring.

As for this Iranian ''plot'', I believes as usual that we have only been told half of the story, and that there is much more that remains to be told.....

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/10/201110121715573693.html

 

[Tango1992]

this all is just a game...
the real purpose behind this is to claim Iran involve in these activities and to make it alone so that its nuclear program can be stopped
we have seen these games much more before so no need to stretch this thread so long
Iran don't have any such intentions its just to disperse the unity

 

[gf0012-aust]

this all is just a game...
the real purpose behind this is to claim Iran involve in these activities and to make it alone so that its nuclear program can be stopped
we have seen these games much more before so no need to stretch this thread so long
Iran don't have any such intentions its just to disperse the unity

games? where have we seen political assassination conducted before where we know its a "game"

you're mixing up the Berne Convention concerns with the issue of their nuclear program. if there is guilt applied to a breach of the conventions it doesn't have much impact on their nuclear program. any co-ordinated international sanctions if initiated would be on bigger issues than their nuke program

 

[ngatimozart]

games? where have we seen political assassination conducted before where we know its a "game"

you're mixing up the Berne Convention concerns with the issue of their nuclear program. if there is guilt applied to a breach of the conventions it doesn't have much impact on their nuclear program. any co-ordinated international sanctions if initiated would be on bigger issues than their nuke program

See thats what is confusing about this. The US allege that the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard hired a bunch of Mexican drug dealers to do a hit on a Saudi Ambassador in Washington. Ok I've been reading some of the BBC background on this. The Quds Force are quite brutal and known to do a lot of the dirty work for the regime. They don't answer to the President but to the head Ayatollah. They have had plenty of experience assassinating opponents of the regime both within Iran and outside of Iran so this is should be SOP for them.

The Mexican drug Cartels, they don't need $1.5 million desperately. Thats pocket change to them. More so, if they had done this op and any thing links back to them they are going to have the US military down on them like tonnes of manure from a great height. They don't want anything that is going to interfere with their cross border smuggling of product north and guns south. The last thing they want is any increased US law enforcement, security, military and border protection activity. Finally their one great fear would be that USG would put so much pressure on the Mexican Government to let US Forces operate in Mexico against the Cartels that the Mexican Government agrees. The Mexicans haven't forgotten the 19th Century when thy lost 50% of their country to the US and there is very strong resistance in Mexico to having US Forces inside Mexican borders.

So the Quds Force can't be that stupid can they? You just don't rock up to a druggie on the street and say like "I've got $1.5 Million will you go whack the Saudi Ambassador in Washington for me?" Because this op appears to be very amateurish or is there another player using a false flag? If so who?

 

[NICO]

See thats what is confusing about this. The US allege that the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard hired a bunch of Mexican drug dealers to do a hit on a Saudi Ambassador in Washington. Ok I've been reading some of the BBC background on this. The Quds Force are quite brutal and known to do a lot of the dirty work for the regime. They don't answer to the President but to the head Ayatollah. They have had plenty of experience assassinating opponents of the regime both within Iran and outside of Iran so this is should be SOP for them.

The Mexican drug Cartels, they don't need $1.5 million desperately. Thats pocket change to them. More so, if they had done this op and any thing links back to them they are going to have the US military down on them like tonnes of manure from a great height. They don't want anything that is going to interfere with their cross border smuggling of product north and guns south. The last thing they want is any increased US law enforcement, security, military and border protection activity. Finally their one great fear would be that USG would put so much pressure on the Mexican Government to let US Forces operate in Mexico against the Cartels that the Mexican Government agrees. The Mexicans haven't forgotten the 19th Century when thy lost 50% of their country to the US and there is very strong resistance in Mexico to having US Forces inside Mexican borders.

So the Quds Force can't be that stupid can they? You just don't rock up to a druggie on the street and say like "I've got $1.5 Million will you go whack the Saudi Ambassador in Washington for me?" Because this op appears to be very amateurish or is there another player using a false flag? If so who?

I haven't followed this story as much as I should have and honestly, this story has gotten ZERO traction on main media, I agree with ngatimozart, what I have heard so far makes little sense or we haven't been told the whole story. Even if you assume Iran really is behind this assassination attempt and it is in some strange way related to nukes in Iran, it really doesn't make a lot of sense for the US to stop it so soon (wait till it is a more firm attempt) or even better just let some Saudi ambassador get whacked and then have a perfect excuse for more sanctions or worse(justification for war?). Stopping it now makes little sense.Why do Quds need some Mexican mafia hit man? Seems to me, you would have to many witnesses and middle man, this involves Mexico and the cartels who want nothing to do with US military or DEA, it is amateur hour at best.

 

[PCShogun]

While not a fan of Iran's policies (just my opinion, doesn't need to be yours) I too feel this is just a little to "Neat" to have been set up by a organized government. I am betting that while Gholam Shakuri is a member of the guard, it may have been a small faction within the guard acting on its own without official support from within the government of Iran. We have heard before that members of this force has taken action on its own before. This whole plot just seems too amateurish to have been planned with much backing from a government as rich as Iran's. No doubt Iran could easily find someone from neighboring countries to make such a hit without pulling Mexican drug lords into this. 1.5 million, while sounding like a lot to us blue collar folks, is really not that much when compared to the hundreds of millions brought in each year by the Cartels, who I am sure do not wish to attract even more attention to themselves at this point in their war with the government of Mexico.

As for as being an act of war? Didn't Israel's Mossad attempt something similar in Egypt back in August of this year? I don't remember the war dreams being sounded then.

 

[Tango1992]

games? where have we seen political assassination conducted before where we know its a "game"

you're mixing up the Berne Convention concerns with the issue of their nuclear program. if there is guilt applied to a breach of the conventions it doesn't have much impact on their nuclear program. any co-ordinates international sanctions if initiated would be on bigger issues than their nuke program

Oh c.mon its just a pre-plan game..i don't wanna blame anyone
but have a look
with these terrorists caught......who have the biggest benefit...??
why Iran want to kill a Saudi Ambassador with such planning and planning in united states>???
but at another face...if Saudi turn against Iran support to there nuclear program...who will get the best benefit.....united states....because Israel and united states..both are against Iran nuclear assets and i don't know why?
its simple...its a game...just like in iraq played on the issue of existence of weapons of mass destruction but find not even a sparrow and destroyed a whole country

 

[gf0012-aust]

Oh c.mon its just a pre-plan game..i don't wanna blame anyone
but have a look
with these terrorists caught......who have the biggest benefit...??
why Iran want to kill a Saudi Ambassador with such planning and planning in united states>???
but at another face...if Saudi turn against Iran support to there nuclear program...who will get the best benefit.....united states....because Israel and united states..both are against Iran nuclear assets and i don't know why?
its simple...its a game...just like in iraq played on the issue of existence of weapons of mass destruction but find not even a sparrow and destroyed a whole country

The tone of your previous response does seek to blame someone, you can't adjust your tone when your previous intent was self evident.

This thread is well down the path of being a conspiracy discussion.

It needs to generate some quality of logic rather than conspiracy of logic if its going to stay alive.

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