AP sources: Iran threatens US Army base and top general

[DonViejo]

Source: The Associated Press


By JAMES LAPORTA
2 hours ago

Iran has made threats against Fort McNair, an Army base in the nation’s capital, and against the Army’s vice chief of staff, two senior U.S. intelligence officials said.

They said communications intercepted by the National Security Agency in January showed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard discussed mounting “USS Cole-style attacks” against the base, referring to the October 2000 suicide attack in which a small boat pulled up alongside the Navy destroyer in the Yemeni port of Aden and exploded, killing 17 sailors.

The intelligence also revealed threats to kill Gen. Joseph M. Martin and plans to infiltrate and surveil the base, according to the officials, who were not authorized to publicly discuss national security matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The base, one of the oldest in the country, is Martin’s official residence.

The threats are one reason the Army has been pushing for more security around Fort McNair, which sits alongside Washington’s bustling newly developed Waterfront District.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/national-security-iran-only-on-ap-army-1285df40348182e1b74dc403607c5928

[Voltaire2]

1. Seems only fair.

We feel free to threaten and assassinate them, and to blow up their stuff. Why do we think this is a one way street?

[JohnSJ]

4. There is no such thing as fair in the Middle East, and it is an extremely stupid course for them to

take if they choose to exercise it

[Voltaire2]

6. so they should just passively allow us to blow them up.

OK, that seems unlikely, but whatever.

Here is another idea: we should get the fuck out of Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan etc. and we should stop blowing up brown people whenever we feel like it.

[EX500rider]

10. "so they should just passively allow us to blow them up"

Are you under the impression Qasem Soleimani was some innocent lamb minding his own business?

As commander of the IRGC Quds Force he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US service men & women in Iraq by providing Iranian made shaped charges used in IED's against US forces. Then later directing the Iranian controlled militias in Iraq to attack US bases and embassy.

[Mosby]

13. Iran is the biggest destabilizing force in the middle east

They have fighters and proxy militias in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Gaza.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50324912

[Voltaire2]

15. 3rd most.

1. USA.
2. Saudi Arabia.
3. A tie: Israel, Iran.

[Mosby]

16. The real list

1. IRAN
2. TURKEY
3. RUSSIA

[Voltaire2]

18. Stuck in neocon supremacist mode.

That shit is 20 years stale.

At least those three actually are near or part of the Middle East.

[oldsoftie]

20. Stuck in denial mode.

Arab nations are making peace with Israel because they want their help against Iran; who is responsible for most of the unrest.
As many have said before, if the enemies of Israel would put down their weapons there would be peace. If Israel puts down THEIR weapons, there would be no more Israel.

[paleotn]

21. What aboutism?

Wise person once said, two wrongs don't make a right. Simplistic, but true nonetheless.

[OldCicero]

2. I thought that the United States was easing sanctions on Iran.

This is how they repay?

Maybe it's just for internal consumption for certain groups in Iran.

I don't know.

VOA News on Iran
Biden’s Iran Travel Ban Repeal Reignites Debate About Whether US Can Effectively Vet Iranians
By Michael Lipin, Nike Ching, Shahla Arasteh
Updated March 02, 2021 08:27 AM


WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden’s quick January repeal of his predecessor's travel ban on Iran has not yet revived Iranian arrivals to the United States, but it has reignited a debate about which Iranians the U.S. should allow to enter and whether existing methods for vetting them are effective.

Biden repealed former President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Iran and 12 other nations within hours of taking office on January 20. He said the visa restrictions on citizens of those nations, seven of them predominantly Muslim states in the Middle East and Africa, were inconsistent with a U.S. tradition of welcoming people of all faiths and undermined national security.

Trump had said the bans were justified by concerns about foreign terrorist entry to the United States and about the ability of U.S. authorities to screen visa applicants from nations afflicted by terrorism.

https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/voa-news-iran/bidens-iran-travel-ban-repeal-reignites-debate-about-whether-us-can

[Voltaire2]

7. its the economic sanctions that are literally killing iranians

we have not lifted those at all. The travel ban is mostly irrelevant.

[EX500rider]

11. Would be quite easy for Iran to get them lifted.

Return to full compliance with the Iran nuclear deal framework and stop trying to build nuclear weapons and ICBM's.

[Voltaire2]

12. If you recall, we unilaterally violated the agreement.

Iran was in full compliance. So why is it on them to make the first move?

[Mosby]

14. There are six other signatories of the JCPOA

Plus a un security council resolution.

[Voltaire2]

17. None of the others abrogated the agreement.

We re-imposed sanctions on Iran for no reason other than we felt like it.

Now we want concessions from Iran before we undo that.

[EX500rider]

19. Because they are the ones who economy is suffering? nt

[Voltaire2]

22. ah yes that should work

first scrap the treaty and impose brutal sanctions that kill iranians (not the rich iranians of course,) then assassinate their leaders, then use your economic power to humiliate them as a precondition for starting negotiations about undoing all the damage we did.

Yeah, I think that will work.

[EX500rider]

24. If Iran wants to act like we haven't had a administration change and try and work with the new one..

...then they are free to cut off their nose to spite their face.

[reACTIONary]

23. Because they are the ones suffering? nt

[Baked Potato]

3. The article concerns a squabble about more security around the base.

The leak of this “intel” is to bolster a position to add security. NSA has most assuredly monitored communication from every subversive group in the world and can provide “intel” to back whatever position is needed at the time. Not minimizing threats, but there seems to be a lot of back story to this issue.

[JohnSJ]

5. That makes sense, and it is probably a good idea anyway

[McKim]

8. I Find this Hard to Believe

I find this hard to believe. I don't think that Iran would do something this stupid. But it does serve some interests who want to continue hostilities. Just think about it.

[CloudWatcher]

9. "discussed" vs. "threatens"

Oh for crying out loud. What a load of bullshit.

The quote "Iran has made threats against..." implies a public statement. A public promise of future action or consequences.

And Iran has made plenty of public threats, but that's not what happened here.

Instead they had: "communications intercepted ... showed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard discussed..."

Omg! Our opponents discussed different options on how to attack us. What a shocking development!

The article makes it pretty clear that this was a carefully chosen "leak" to amplify the political argument for increasing the buffer zone around the base, which the locals are opposing.

I have an idea, if the base isn't secure enough, close it and move.

[Javaman]

25. This shouldn't come as any surprise

Have we all forgotten that the orange asshole had an Iranian general assassinated?

[Mosby]

26. He was the head of a group called Quds force

Which is recognized by the US, Canada, UN and the EU as a terrorist group.

The Obama administration designated them as a terrorist group after they discovered a plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian Ambassador while in the United States, all under the supervision of Soleimani.

[Javaman]

27. Aah thanks. Didn't know that

Never the less, he was probably respected by the Iranians and that’s all the excuse they need