Comments on: Fox News: Senior U.S. official says Iranian general is not in custody

By: Hot Air » Blog Archive » Blast from the past: Missing Iranian general defected, now spilling nuclear secrets

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 18:07:04 +0000

[...] According to JTA, the source for the Yedioth story is an “unnamed U.S. official.” An unnamed senior U.S. official was also the source for WaPo’s story on March 8 about Asgari supposedly being held in western custody (a claim denied by yet another senior U.S. official). Another official interviewed for the WaPo piece corroborated Yedioth’s claim that he defected willingly; Asharq al-Awsat, an Arab paper linked to the Saudi government, also hinted that his disappearance had been voluntary. Hard to say how reliable that is, though, given that it’s in the interest of both the U.S. and the Saudis to promote a perception of dissension within the Iranian ranks. I wonder how the left will handle the contradiction. Healthy skepticism towards both sides, do you suppose? Or sneering reactionary contempt for the American version coupled with tacit support for the Iranian claim that he must have been kidnapped? [...]

By: elgeneralisimo

elgeneralisimo — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:16:25 +0000

Nourizadeh says Asgari has information about Iran’s operations in Iraq, including support and training of the Shiite militia al Mahdi Army and identities of Iranian agents…

… This is weird, too. By every account I’ve read, Asgari went missing on February 7. And yet:

The pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al Awsat quoted Israeli sources today as saying Asgari may have disappeared in January and not February as has been widely reported. Asgari felt bitter about being forced to resign from his post, said the sources….

Q: Assuming the first quote to be true, exactly when did Mookie and his crew peel out of Iraq for Iran ?

A: The Hot Air search function is your friend…

By: RedinBlueCounty

RedinBlueCounty — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:52:35 +0000

He's not in custody because he's defected and wasn't apprehended by anyone. He's applying for political asylum and is being held in an undisclosed location for his protection, at his request. That's my two cents worth.

By: Texas Mike

Texas Mike — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:43:06 +0000

What me worry?

By: Kralizec

Kralizec — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:33:38 +0000

Maybe we have to determine what “custody” is before we can say whether the general is in custody.

By: profitsbeard

profitsbeard — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:33:00 +0000

I saw him selling falafels in Tel Aviv.

By: roninacreage

roninacreage — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:16:14 +0000

Pelosi and Reid were popping champagne as this update broke.

By: DWB

DWB — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:11:42 +0000

This is getting to be like the ending of “The Prestige”.

I’ll take your word on it. I turned that movie off well before the end. Not good at all IMO.

However, I did think the Illusionist was very well done. I like Ed Norton as an actor; so that helps.

By: alphabet city

alphabet city — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 23:23:33 +0000

Just Asking…

Could Iranian defector Brig. Gen. Ali Reza Asghari be to the intelligence aspect of the global war on terror what Romanian General Ion Mihai Pacepa was to the intelligence war against the Eastern Bloc Communists?…

By: libertarianuberalles

libertarianuberalles — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:55:51 +0000

They should think that we’re going to hit anyone at anytime. Force protection works both ways, and makes for some very interesting conundrums in a totalitarian state.

By: Bearhopi

Bearhopi — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:34:01 +0000

ROSWELL, ROSWELL, ROSWELL!!

By: ScottG

ScottG — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:22:55 +0000

It’s hard for me to believe WaPo’s source made it up whole cloth.

Hee hee! That makes me laugh!

PinkyBigglesworth on March 8, 2007 at 4:26 PM

Norman, coordinate!

By: Clark1

Clark1 — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:17:25 +0000

Why WOULDN’T the US intel people leak every possible different scenario about the Asgari? As long as they had intel that he wasn’t killed by Iranians (in which case misinformation would have no effect), why not spread stories that he’s cooperating, that he’s not, that the isrealis bought him, that the US abducted him, etc, etc. If the Iranians don’t know, they have to deal with the impact of ALL the scenarios.

That might include recalling every agent Asgari knew about, rehiding any weapons programs, “cutting” loose ends in Iraq and Lebanon that might link them to American deaths, shadowing all their generals to avoid future defections as well as guarding them against abductions, etc.

By: taznar

taznar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:14:33 +0000

Dude, he’s like at spring break in Daytona!

Yep! Saw him yesterday hanging out at the 7/11 with Elvis.

By: Matticus Finch

Matticus Finch — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:01:06 +0000

In the letter, the IAFF, whose president Harold Schaitberger is a longtime supporter of Democratic Sen. John Kerry, blames the former Big Apple mayor for “unforgivable” post-terror attacks decisions

Off topic, but I see the swiftboating of Rudy has officially kicked off.

By: right2bright

right2bright — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:58:16 +0000

PinkyBigglesworth on March 8, 2007 at 4:26 PM

I don’t believe a word you are posting.

Is it Friday yet?

By: Kevin M

Kevin M — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:58:07 +0000

“I don’t know. Like Nigel, I’m just passing on information.”

Or…

“I don’t know. Like the NYT, I’m just passing on information.”

hmm….

By: right2bright

right2bright — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:57:15 +0000

He was just hired by the Edwards cam-pain.

By: ej_pez

ej_pez — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:53:42 +0000

That all depends on what the definition of “custody” is.

By: rick moran

rick moran — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:50:42 +0000

Good question, Allah.

It could be that the sources are from two different agencies. Defectors in the past have initiated furious turf battles between CIA, DIA, and State. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the agency that has Asgari to keep him for themselves for a while and not tell others about him.

Or if disinformation, it may be a simple case of one department not telling another what they’re up to. Or again, two sources, two agencies.

It also could be that the Israelis have him and haven’t allowed us access to him yet. That would make the Fox source technically correct, wouldn’t it?

By: Matticus Finch

Matticus Finch — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:48:20 +0000

This is getting to be like the ending of “The Prestige”.

By: PinkyBigglesworth

PinkyBigglesworth — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:26:19 +0000

Now listen to me carefully…….. Everything that I am going to tell you is a lie.

OK?

I’m telling the truth.

If you are saying that you are telling the truth, then you are lying, but if you are lying, then you are telling the truth, but you can’t, because everything tht you say is a lie, but you just said you are lying and that is the truth, but you can’t be telling the truth because everything is a lie………..

By: Right Wing Nut House » LET’S NOT SCREW UP THIS DEFECTION (MAJOR UPDATE)

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:24:05 +0000

[...] Allah reports that there is some question whether Asgari is in custody. One US source is telling Fox News and ABC’s The Blotter that we don’t have him and don’t know where he is: [...]

By: flipflop

flipflop — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:15:57 +0000

I’m not sure what “This Is Spinal Tap” has to do with anything, but here’s my favorite part:

Nigel: …all the way up. You’re on ten on your guitar…where can you go
from there? Where?
Marty: I don’t know….
Nigel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is if we need that extra…push over
the cliff…you know what we do?
Marty: Put it up to eleven.
Nigel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Marty: Why don’t you just make ten louder and make ten be the top…
number…and make that a little louder?
Nigel: …these go to eleven.

By: honora

honora — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:13:02 +0000

Where’s Waldo, Iranian edition.