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February 13, 2009
Exclusive: CRC Open-Source Intelligence Briefs
Maj. W. Thomas Smith Jr., Director of the Counterterrorism Research Center
IRAN: During a U.S. State Department press briefing, Feb. 11, the following question was posed to State Dept. acting spokesman Robert Wood:
QUESTION: “The U.S. has been sending signals to the Iranian Government that it’s ready for talks. The Iranian president yesterday sent the same signal that it’s ready for talks with the U.S. on mutual respect basis. What’s next? Who’s going to have to take the next step?”
Wood’s response:
“The President and the Secretary were very clear in terms of what we want to do with regard to Iran in terms of engagement. We will be spelling out more specifics, of course, once that review is completed. But certainly, we look forward to having direct engagement with Iran. And we’ve said that we want to reach out to the Iranian people. The Iranians are a proud people. It is a very important nation. There are a lot of regional issues where Iran could play a helpful role. We want to see Iran play a much more positive role in the Middle East, in South Asia, and, you know, our hand is extended to Iran. …”
Wood continues:
“… We’re going to be looking at all aspects of our policies toward Iran, and try to do what we think makes best sense in terms of reaching out to Iran. …”
(Read transcript here)
Meanwhile, YaLibnan is reporting French Pres. Nicolas Sarkozy’s “urging Obama to be firm in dealing with Iran especially with regards to its nuclear program.”
Also the Russian News & Information Agency NOVOSTI is reporting: “Iran will send its first man into space on board its own spacecraft by 2021, the head of Iran's Aerospace Agency announced on Thursday. ‘Scientific research has already begun in Iran,’ Reza Tagipur was quoted by Iranian media as saying. ‘According to our plans, a successful Iranian manned spaceflight will be carried out before 2021.’”
ISRAEL: Israeli Defense Forces reportedly have – as of this writing – raised its alert level on its northern border with Lebanon on the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Hizballah terrorist mastermind Imad Mughniyeh. Just over the Israeli border in south Lebanon is “Hizballahland.”
Hizballah is heavily funded, operationally supported, and directed by Iran.
LEBANON: Lebanon's parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri told Agence Presse France: "We [the pro-democracy March 14 alliance] will not take part in the government if the March 8 [Hizballah-led] alliance wins the elections because we are keen on the implementation of a democratic system."
The AFP also quotes Hariri’s remarks published in Asharq Al-Awsat: "If the March 14 alliance wins it means the Lebanese will have chosen the path of sovereignty and independence of the state. … However, if March 8 wins everything will change. The country will have chosen another path, one of (armed) resistance (against Israel)."
One source tells us Hariri’s comments “send a strong message. The question is what happens if March 8 loses, or [if] their is another key assassination? Will that finally cause March 14 to ask for international assistance?”
Another source says, “Last year he would have been able to form a govern without Hizballah … Look where expectations are now. And it is not sure M14 won't fall to temptations.”
Hariri is the son of the late former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.
Hariri is the son of the late former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.
PAKISTAN: The AP is reporting Pakistan has for the first time acknowledged “the Mumbai terrorist attacks were launched from its shores and at least partly plotted on its soil, saying Thursday that it had arrested most of the chief suspects including one described as ‘the main operator.’”
The report also says additional leads point to Europe and the U.S., and that the Pakistani government is seeking the assistance of the FBI.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.
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