From the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (and communicated by an IDF spokesman):
Hizbullah terrorist Ali Hassan Saliman, who was apprehended by IDF forces, admitted during questioning that he was involved in the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, and that he knew the goal was to kidnap Israeli soldiers. Saliman also admitted his involvement in an additional kidnapping attempt at an IDF post near the village of Rajar last November.
Saliman, 22, joined the Hizbullah terror organization at age 15 and underwent a lengthy training program that included military and “educational” courses. After completing Hizbullah training, he joined the anti-tank section of the “Nasser Unit”, the Hizbullah unit stationed on Lebanon’s border with Israel.
Saliman also participated in two Hizbullah “exercises” in Iran. At the end of 2003 and again at the end of 2004, he and dozens of other Hizbullah terrorists entered Iran via the Iranian military checkpoint at Tamrun without being required to present passports. Their instructors were Iranian soldiers.
Hizbullah recently intensified its efforts to kidnap Israeli soldiers and Saliman participated in two kidnapping attempts. In the first unsuccessful attempt, in Rajar in November of 2005, Russian Fagot anti-tank missiles were used against Israeli tanks. On July 12 Saliman participated in the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev near Zarit. Some time afterwards IDF forces apprehended Saliman and brought him to Israel for questioning.
[My emphasis]
Well then. Talk about connecting the dots between Iran, radical Islamism, Baathist terrorism, and Hezbollah’s actions in Lebanon. As if Syrian and Iranian re-arming of Hezbollah wasn’t already dispositive, I mean.
Video of interview with Ali Hassan Saliman here.
Can the majority of the world not be at least secretly hoping for an overwhelming Israeli victory over Hezbollah? And if not, what does that tell us about the majority of the world (and, sadly, so many of our own citizens)?
As plain as it is to some, something tells me that won’t be quite enough evidence to convince the anti-Bush mob. They’re too invested in the meme.
Early posting @ proteinwisdom? The East Coast thanks you, Jeff.
Now, Jeff, everyone knows there’s no connection. Why, those Shi’ites in Tehran wouldn’t ever be associated with the secular Ba’athists.
Sigh. The majority of the world is NOT secretly hoping for an Israeli victory. The majority of the world is hoping openly for the destruction of Israel, and the defeat, weakening and eventual downfall of the evil American empire. You may well ask what they expect to happen to them if such a day comes. My guess is that they think the Islamists will reward them for their loyalty.
Sadly, Jeff, I think the majority of the world secretly hopes Ahmadinejad will finally nuke Israel so that said majority can feign a tsk tsk and then move on.
But, taking your point, yes—there are plenty of people (most Americans, some Canadians and Aussies, a minority of Brits, and select continental European politicians) who wish for precisely that. That won’t preclude said select European politicans from decrying the disproportion of it all (think of the children!), but they’re not quite as naive as they pretend to be. Just cowardly, is all.
Lisa, I think we’re, like, cosmically in synch.
Another example of the effort that Iran is putting into it’s proxy war(s) with the West and Israel.
I have been hoping the internal stress the Iranian regime is undergoing would sap it’s will to sponsor such foreign adventures, but I have been quite wrong. If anything, it appears the mullah-ocracy is pushing harder to either distract the domestic audience or finish their self appointed sacred mission before they get bounced.
Jeff, I do believe you have inspired me to mull this over and come up with a blog post sometime tonight or tomorrow.
You sound like Osama Bin Laden.
Oh, gawd. The Talking Phone Pole’s retarded cousin’s back.
Impressive. I give up. Oh, Oh, wait. I’ve got one.
I know you are, but what am I.
Hah!
BUAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Pretty good chuckle there, David. What’s next, your Saddam Hussein imitation?
I’m sorry, is this supposed to mean something?
How do you know what Major John sounds like? I’ve heard Osama’s voice on his home videos, and my guess is that the Major’s voice has a deeper tenor.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And my guess is they have absolutely identical voice prints. So, I guess he still sounds like Osama Bin Laden.
Maybe he has that computer software that reads text. If so change the setting from “Osama” to “Patton.” That’s what Major John sounds like.
You missed the most important news from this piece:
They have fagot anti-tank missles? Are those better than hetero-normative anti-tank missles?
– GB
Back O/T……
Major John, I suspect a third reason: Iran is pushing harder to avoid a significant loss of face, with resulting loss of political (diplomatic? religious?) influence in the Middle East.
If Hezb’allah is soundly and firmly trounced in Lebanon (said happy event appearing to be on the horizon, God bless Israel), Iran would lose much of their influence and prestige, except what they could buy. There are some signs of that already happening.
Certainly the timing of those exercises in Iran (after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and the rise of a new Iraq) indicates that.
Desperate measures? Possibly. But it might also be an accelerated program from a long standing plan, and not ad hoc. It’s hard to say.
Are you gay? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just I find most people who are quick with the gay joke are hiding the fact they are gay. This is an anonymous venue, you can tell us.
I understand it’s all a matter of who’s firing them.
Dave:
The fact that you feel the need to visit a cage of highly dangerous right-wing lunatics who are slightly hung over and jab them with a pencil stump does not speak well for your social life. What happened? Have you been excommunicated from FakeLiarDog? Did you vote for Lieberman or something? Share it with us.
Let’s just address this now and move on.
David, you have now established a pattern of turning up in a thread, leading with some schoolyard insult, then act shocked when people enagage you like the childish troll you clearly are.
It’s tiresome. It’s not even entertaining trolling. Jeff gets actual lefty sociopaths here; you barely register on the troll chart.
Just how do you drag that fact out of them, Dave? Do you start with a little shoulder massage, perhaps? Then a little reacharound titty rub, and it’s off to the races?
Hey, that’s no fair, NATO used the code word “Fagot” for both an anti-tank missile and a MiG fighter model.
Karl: You’re right. If Lamont loses tonight, we’ll be getting more than our share of sociopaths. We’d better conserve our energy.
All right, enough with the ad hominems you clowns, let’s address the substance of David’s posts:
Okay, wait a minute, how about this one:
Umm, hang on, I’ll find one in a minute:
Fuck me, this is harder than it looks, how about:
Well I give up, David it appears you really are a worthless pinhead with nothing whatsoever to add to the discussion.
Fire away, lads.
We’re going to get them if he wins too. These people are dying to gloat. So, get a nap in.
If there’s nothing wrong with being gay, then why are you asking, David, hmmmmmmm?
Yup, David is a pinhead troll, indeed.
Given that we may be engaged by legions of trolls in the near future, I remind everyone of the basic rule of a soldier in combat: “Never miss a chance to eat, sleep, or pee.”
There will be a pre-combat inspection later today. Until then, everyone check your gear, check yourself, and then check your buddy. Things are going to get interesting tonight.
TW: Remember, the trolls are expected.
I see that the “expected” Turing Word is back. One of my spookiest days on PW was when “expected” showed up while I was writing a comment on Shi’i apocalyptic.
Hopefully it is not an omen.
Oh yeah, and “David” is a tool. I want my name back. TW: or else.
TW: Simply put, no.
David is strong. Tough. Smart. Nuanced. Layered.
Or was that sliced? Diced? Chopped? Minced?Mincing Lisp?
I Question The Timing© of this interview…
Turing = western, as in If Western civilization didn’t depend on us winning over these barbarians, it would be like something out of a bad western.
Um, what exactly is going to be inspected?
Rest assured, Rob, it won’t be a short arm inspection.
I sound like Osama bin Laden? Huh? I am afraid you are either going to have to explain that one further, or seek medical attention for a concussion.
Have you had memory loss symptoms? Nausea?
David, the 23rd Street Montessori School just called. They want their diploma back.