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Well I hope ISI is helping Iran if this is true.
U.S. official says intel suggests Iran plans to ship arms to Taliban
By Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon Correspondent
April 2, 2010 6:08 p.m. EDT
U.S. official says intel suggests Iran plans to ship arms to Taliban - CNN.com
Washington (CNN) -- New U.S. military intelligence suggests Iran plans to smuggle new shipments of weapons into Afghanistan in the coming weeks as part of an increased effort to interfere with coalition operations, a senior U.S. Defense Department official said Friday.
The information came from an "Iranian source" whose tips on past shipments have been verified by the United States, the official said.
The official declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the information. He also declined to offer more details on the identity of the Iranian source. Intelligence gained by talking to people, sometimes referred to as "human intelligence," is always considered sensitive for fear of compromising sources.
"There are indications the Iranians have stepped it up," the official said.
But another U.S. official said Iran is only providing "limited supplies of weapons to the Taliban ... not enough to cause major problems for coalition forces."
The official also noted that Iran -- a majority Shiite country -- and the Sunni Taliban almost went to war with one another in the late 90s, so it's not really in their interest to be a major source of top-shelf arms to the Taliban.
Earlier this week, however, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters in Afghanistan he was 'taken aback" when he learned of a "significant shipment" of weapons from Iran into Kandahar in southeastern Afghanistan. Mullen and his aides declined to offer any other details.
And the Defense Department official said the source has told the United States of "volumes of Iranian munitions coming into Afghanistan."
Tehran has consistently denied supporting groups opposed to the Afghan government.
U.S. and coalition troops have seen evidence of some Iranian weapons inside Afghanistan found in seized caches or in the aftermath of attacks. Some munitions have recent manufacturing dates and serial numbers.
"That leads us to believe there are ongoing and current shipments coming into Afghanistan from Iran," the official said.
The Iranian weapons include not only rockets and grenades but also material and explosives to make improvised explosive devices. The official said the United States has found high explosives that are clearly manufactured in Iran with a particular process and design "similar to what we saw with Iranian weapons in Iraq."
The Pentagon official said some of the upcoming shipments might be designated for Kandahar, adding that the U.S. military would do everything it could to stop that from happening. The official indicated it had been several months since coalition forces had seized any weapons shipments at Afghanistan's western border with Iran. Authorities believe shipments are broken up into smaller loads at the border and then brought into the country as unobtrusively as possible by truck convoys.
The issue of just how much Iran is interfering inside Afghanistan remains under debate in the administration's national security circles. Recently, Defense Secretary Robert Gates accused Iran of playing a "double game" in Afghanistan, both aiding the Taliban and more publicly helping finance some public institutions. But he then described Iranian assistance to the Taliban as "pretty low-level."
"We have really not seen an increase of Iranian assistance, whether it's equipment or weapons or training, in western Afghanistan," Gates told reporters on February 22. "We're obviously keeping an eye on it, but it seems pretty modest at this point."
Yes us Intl said about WMD, umm but they didn't find it under grandpa's bed.
No but we sure are finding Iranian munitions already in Afghanistan.
No it does not. The US have no interests in working with the FARC. However, Iran does have interests in making alliances with anyone willing to make life difficult for the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.do you know how dumb that sounds?
The farc rebels are probably using American munitions to fight Columbia and the US. Does that mean the Americans are giving them munitions?
No it does not. The US have no interests in working with the FARC. However, Iran does have interests in making alliances with anyone willing to make life difficult for the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Alliances are always temporary. One year or one thousand years.okay Einstein
Iran might give Taliban weapons but that doesn't mean she wants to ally herself with the taliban!!
Good...This means there should be no disagreements that where the US is concerned, distastes or even hatred between muslims who are enemies can always be suspended and they unite for a common cause.We have an interest to see the US in trouble so we might give them mines and outdated junk that we might have otherwise thrown out ourselves. Now after the US is gone we will treat the talifags as we have always done.
But it would be foolish for any investigator to dismiss the lack of evidence when there are otherwise compelling reasons.That said, there is no evidence that the IRANIAN GOVT is giving them weapons directly.
But did you not earlier said Iran might have given the Taliban dated weapons?I saw this report from BBC where they had apparently found proof of Iran's shipment of arms to Afghanistan. They showed the emblems on the guns and presented as "IRANIAN EMBLEMS"
Any non Iranian would believe that but an Iranian would recognize that emblem. The emblem was lion and son w/ a crown which was from the times of the shah!!!!!
These weapons that the Americans are presenting as proof were all made @ least 31 years ago!!!! On avg they're probably more than 40 years old! Don't you think that these useless junks could have been acquired from anywhere?
Hezbollah is Iranian born, not the Taliban. That would give Hezbollah preference.Just compare the weapons we give to hezbollah and hamas and you will see the difference.
Alliances are always temporary. One year or one thousand years.
Good...This means there should be no disagreements that where the US is concerned, distastes or even hatred between muslims who are enemies can always be suspended and they unite for a common cause.
But it would be foolish for any investigator to dismiss the lack of evidence when there are otherwise compelling reasons.
But did you not earlier said Iran might have given the Taliban dated weapons?
Hezbollah is Iranian born, not the Taliban. That would give Hezbollah preference.
yes I did, but it's just as likely that these 40 year old crap can find their way into the hands of the talifags w/out direct Iranian involvement.
If Iran really wanted to create a **** storm in AFG they would send them the toys they send to Hezbollah not some 40 year old broken RPGs and AKs
Alliances are always temporary. One year or one thousand years.
Good...This means there should be no disagreements that where the US is concerned, distastes or even hatred between muslims who are enemies can always be suspended and they unite for a common cause.
But it would be foolish for any investigator to dismiss the lack of evidence when there are otherwise compelling reasons.
But did you not earlier said Iran might have given the Taliban dated weapons?
Hezbollah is Iranian born, not the Taliban. That would give Hezbollah preference.