I didn’t want to say anything, but… (the Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador)
Posted by Charles II on October 13, 2011
Juan Cole is apparently not completely convinced that the alleged plot by Iranian Manssor Arbabsiar to hire a Mexican drug cartel to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador was for real:
I am frankly shocked that Eric Holder should have brought us this steaming crock, which is now being used to make policy at the highest levels. That a Mexican former drug runner being paid by the US taxpayers might have thought he could advance his career by playing mind games with a somewhat crazy Iranian expatriate is no surprise. That you could put fantastic schemes in Arbabsiar’s mind if you worked at it seems obvious. That anyone in the DOJ or the US foreign policy establishment would take all this seriously is not plausible. I conclude that they are being dishonest, and that this is Obama’s turn to wag the dog as he faces defeat at Romney’s well-manicured hands next year this time.
I was skeptical about this, as I am of any news that portrays Iran as a threat. Iran, because of its geographical position in between the Russian, Ottoman, and Babylonian empires (not to mention miscellaneous Romans, Macedonians, British etc.), tend to be cautious. To a fault. Yes, they did seize the American embassy 30 years ago. Yes, some of their politicians are nutty (though they’d blend in well at a GOP debate). But it’s very uncharacteristic of the Iranians to do anything likely to provoke a serious response, especially over relatively small stakes like an ambassador, especially when there’s such a high probability of being caught.
Now that Juan Cole has said it, I think the question ought to be on everyone’s lips: is this yet another example of our Justice Department entrapping marginal people into crimes they would never have contemplated without substantial coaxing?
4 Responses to “I didn’t want to say anything, but… (the Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador)”
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Phoenix Woman said
Emptywheel has been following this absurdity from the start:
http://www.emptywheel.net/2011/10/13/the-iran-plot-hillary-tries-to-involve-the-un/
http://www.emptywheel.net/2011/10/12/how-a-used-car-salesmans-alleged-kidnapping-plot-turned-into-an-international-incident/
http://www.emptywheel.net/2011/10/12/lisa-monaco-would-like-to-thank-the-academy/
http://www.emptywheel.net/2011/10/11/bank-transfers-of-mass-destruction/
jo6pac said
.And a great job also but if 0 can get the liberal media and other countries to join in the madness then we will watch the end of the empire. The sad note is it will be on the back of Main Street and those protesting will really become traitors of Amerika.
Charles II said
Juan Cole also was on it from the start, though, as usual, Marcy has much more detail.
I’m not positive that it’s an absurdity, because presumably DoJ has well-documented large wire transfers from a third country to Mexico and a conversation with an Iranian believed to be high in the Iranian military. These are not to be dismissed out of hand.
Arbabsiar is apparently borderline mentally ill, though sane enough to run a used car dealership. So, he might be an easy person to manipulate.
Juan Cole thinks this might have something to do with drug running, something that members of the Iranian military do on the side (like members of the American military/paramilitary). So, it’s very likely there’s a serious crime in here somewhere, but perhaps not the crime being alleged by DoJ.
jo6pac said
DoJ has well-documented large wire transfers from a third country to Mexico and a conversation with an Iranian believed to be high in the Iranian military.
I might believe the drug angle but not much. I just have a hard time believeing anything that doj says at this point in time, sorry I just haven’t seen any thing in the past that makes want to travel down the of war again. I didn’t want to the first 5 times on false info.