Webloggin » Iran Gets Away With Killing Americans

According to Phil Sands in Baghdad, The Independent, ‘thousands of Iraqi Shias are being trained in advanced guerrilla warfare tactics at a secret camp near the Iranian capital, according to militants who say they have spent time there’ and ‘large numbers of Mahdi Army volunteers loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr had gone to the base in Jalil Azad, near Tehran, for instruction.’

Abu Amer, a 39-year-old Mahdi Army fighter who asked that his full name not be used, said he had been trained by instructors he believed were from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. “Shia fighters are being trained in modern fighting methods, such as use of powerful explosives and bringing down helicopters,” he told the IoS.

Another fighter, who asked to be identified only as Abu Rafed, said he had seen hundreds of fellow Iraqi Shia militants there. “We were taught how to attack the Americans, we learned all the modern ways to shoot down helicopters and destroy tanks and armoured vehicles. It is preparation for the time when we will have a big battle with the occupiers.”

Last week Maj-Gen William Caldwell, the US military spokesman in Iraq, confirmed many captured fighters in Iraq had been trained in Iran.

One source in Iraq believes that al-Sadr is being kept in Iran, while another believes he is actually in Iraq, perhaps in Najaf. I’m going to take a guess and say he is still in Iraq.

Today Sadr today ‘pulled his six ministers out of Iraq’s coalition Government to protest against the Prime Minister’s refusal to set a deadline for the withdrawal of American troops.’ (TimesOnline) Nassar al-Rubaie, a Sadrist MP and spokesman for Sadr, read a statement from Sadr concerning the pull out from the government. al-Rubaie also said, “the Prime Minister’s lack of response to the demands of nearly one million people in Najaf asking for the withdrawal of US forces and the deterioration in security and services”.

The truth is there were only 5,000 to 7,000 people protesting in Najaf, NOT one million. Joost Hiltermann, Iraq expert with the International Crisis Group, said that Mr al-Sadr was gambling on being able to wait out his US foes. That is exactly right. Sadr hopes that when things fall apart, he will be able to swoop in and take a leadership position. He’s biding his time.

In the meantime, Iran continues to supply training, equipment and troops to fight Americans.

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