U.S. GENERAL SAYS IRAN TRAINING SHIITE MILITIAS BUT WHERE IS THE PROOF?

Joshua Partlow writes today for The Washington Post that a U.S. Army general claims that Iran is helping Hezbollah train Shia guerrillas to fight tout le monde in Iraq.

Writes Partlow:

"An American general today said Iraqi militants are being trained and organized by Iranian security forces -- in cooperation with Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militia -- to carry out bombings, kidnappings and other acts of violence against Americans and Iraqi security forces.

"The briefing by U.S. military spokesman Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner laid out what he described as an extensive program coordinated by Iran's elite Quds Force, the militant wing of the Revolutionary Guard, to provide armor-piercing weapons, funnel up to $3 million a month to extremist groups and train Shiite militiamen in three camps near Tehran . . .

"The Iranian Quds force is using Lebanese Hezbollah essentially as a proxy, as a surrogate in Iraq," [General] Bergner said. "Our intelligence reveals that senior leadership in Iran is aware of this activity."

I have several questions on the validity of these claims by the U.S. military.

First, is it just coincidental that this story comes out of Baghdad on the same day that Russian president Putin is meeting with George Bush in Kennebunkport? One of Bush's primary objective in inviting Putin has been to convince Putin that Russia should join in calling for sanctions against Teheran for its nuclear ambitions and enrichment program. I can just see George talking to Vladimir on how the Iranians are fomenting mahyem and terror.

Second, how can we believe a U.S. military that tries to put a favorable-to-Bush spin on all its announcements? Consider its use of "Al Qaeda in Iraq" as a universal surrogate for all insurgent groups fighting in Iraq. See my posts here, here and here.

Third, how can we be sure that the Iranian top leadership is endorsing, blessing and encouraging aid coming from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Shiite militias in Iraq? Religion plays a powerful force in daily life in the Middle East. When Shiites in Hezbollah see their co-religionists in Iraq coming under fire from Sunnis and from the Americans, it is reasonable to believe they send money and assistance. But the U.S. military and CIA need to provide proof that Iran is involved. To date, I have seen no evidence linking the Iranian government, other than hearsay and innuendo.

I have already posted on Iran today, citing a Washington Post story by Michael Hirsh, quoting senior Iranian military as saying that Iran is looking to defuse the tension between itself and the United States.

So we have a chance to construct an opening with Iran. The way to reduce any putative Iranian/Hezbollah involvement is for George Bush to sit down with the Iranians and work out a peaceful solution. I think the Iranians are ready to talk. Is George Bush/Dick Cheney?