February16, 2007:
Iran has instigated an arms race in the Persian Gulf. The Arab
nations across the water have placed orders for more than $100 billion in
weapons, mainly from the U.S., Europe and Russia. This is several times what
Iran can afford to buy. While Iran has a greater population, and military
tradition, the clerics running the country for the last two decades have
trashed the economy with corruption and mismanagement. Iran's weapons are several
decades older than those used by their Arab neighbors.
February
14, 2007: A car bomb was used to attack a bus load of Revolutionary
Guards, traveling near the Pakistani border. A Baluchi separatist organization
took credit. Just across the border, is the Pakistani province of Baluchistan,
where tribal rebels would like to incorporate Iranian Baluchis into an
independent Baluchistan. In addition to the tribal politics, the Baluchis
are Sunni Moslems, and have long been victims of religious persecution by
Iranian Shia Moslems.
February
13, 2007: Iraq is closing the main border crossings with Iran and Syria for 72
hours, to support anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The closings will
interrupt attempts by terrorists based in Syria and Iran, to reinforce their
forces in Iraq.
February
11, 2007: The commander of the Revolutionary Guards (the palace guard for the
clerics running the country) announced that Iran had produced a new stealthy
UAV, with a range of 700 kilometers, that is being used to spy on neighboring
countries. Also mentioned was that the Revolutionary Guard naval commando force
had recently sent underwater swimmers to engrave Revolutionary Guard
symbols on the side of an American warship. No proof for either of these claims
was provided. The government regularly makes claims like this, apparently to
boost civilian morale.
February
10, 2007: Iran has arrested two senior al Qaeda leaders, who were moving from
Pakistan to Iraq via Iran. Normally, the Iranians would look the other way. But
now they are arresting these travelers, and keeping them captive, apparently as
bargaining chips for future negotiations with the United States. Iran already
has a number of al Qaeda members imprisoned, although some are let go from time
to time.
February
9, 2007: The U.S. presented physical evidence of Iranian manufactured bombs,
and other Iranian weapons provided to anti-American Iraqis, and used to attack
Americans. It's estimated that about five percent of American casualties were
caused by these Iranian weapons, and technical advice provided by Iranian
military personnel. Among the weapons Iran provided were Austrian made
12.7mm sniper rifles. Eight hundred of these were exported to Iran last year,
over American protests, for use by the Iranian national police (to battle drug
smugglers on the Afghan border). But about 12 percent of the 800 sniper rifles
have found their way into Iraq, and recently been captured by American
forces.
February
7, 2007: The UN is punishing Iran by suspending most of its technical
programs relating to nuclear energy. This is mostly symbolic, but it does make
it clear that the UN considers Iran in violation of international agreements.