So my main man Rob Curtis is back in the sandbox for a five-week trip with a cub Air Force Times reporter covering Air Force security operations and training missions there.
Rob and I worked for a couple years on a documentary project and have been through some pretty heavy times together.
I wanted to direct you to some photos he shot of the business end of an explosively formed penetrator roadside bomb that struck a vehicle belonging to the unit hes embedded with. Weve both seen the effects of an IED, but Ive never seen anything like this.
American officials are unanimous in their belief that this weapon comes from Iran. If so, I dont understand how this doesnt prompt more consternation from the public and politicians on both sides of the aisle and of the Iraq war debate.
That may or may not be true. But the thought that one of my bros was just one patrol away from being maimed or killed by a weapon designed and/or built in Iran to maim and kill Americans is pretty upsetting
Iran links update:
Yesterday, Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Pete Pace, told us Iranian weapons have been recently found in Afghanistan, sent there to supply the Taliban. Thats the first official admission that the weapons from the Shiite-dominated government are winding up in the hands of Sunni-aligned Taliban insurgents.
Its also helpful to note this exchange between CNNs Barbara Starr and Multinational Corps-Iraq commander, Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno on Friday
Q General Odierno, Barbara Starr from CNN. You spoke about Iran again. Are you able yet to tell us that there is direct evidence that it is the Iranian government or the leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps or Al-Qods that is directly ordering this interference in Iraq? Are you learning anything from the Al-Qods member -- people you still have in custody? Are you able to carry your evidence any further than just they're out there and theyre causing interference?
GEN. ODIERNO: I would just say right now -- I'm only willing to say that it's clear that the Qods Force is involved in what's going on here by supplying training, money and weapons. We're still working other aspects of it, but I'm not willing to comment on anything along those lines.
I would say, though, it is clear that they continue to interfere, the Qods Force continues to attempt to interfere in Iraqi -- in operations inside of Iraq. We continue to intercept weapons. We know there's money that's flowing in from Iran to certain insurgent groups in Iraq, and we will continue to work through this.
And in fact we're working now to determine whether they are in fact not only providing support to Shi'a groups but also Sunni insurgent groups. We don't have any specific proof of that yet, but there's been some indications that that could in fact be the case.
Q Very briefly, why would the Iranians be supporting Sunni groups?
GEN. ODIERNO: I think it's mainly because they want to continue to create chaos in Iraq. They do not want this government potentially to succeed. But additionally, I think they want to try to tie down coalition forces here. And it's clear that they are attempting to affect what's going on inside of Iraq on a daily basis, and we have to be very aware of that, and we will continue to be aware of that and work it.
Makes you think about the timeless idiom: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
-- Christian
