From The New Yorker:Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program.
Read more ....
News On Covert OPS Against Iran From Other Sources:
U.S. escalating covert operations against Iran -- Reuters
Report: U.S. Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran -- FOX News
US gives 'major' boost to covert ops in Iran: report -- AFP
U.S. Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran: Report -- New York Times
CIA-JSOC Covert Operations against Iran -- Uskowi on Iran
Seymour Hersh claims new Bush regime covert ops against Iran -- People's Geography
My Comment: Iran has been actively attacking and/or supporting groups that attack the U.S. and its allies for decades. This is now blow-back against them, and they should not be surprised. What is surprising is ..... why did it take so long?
My prediction .... with Iraq becoming stable and Iranian influences be defeated, with the Afghan War heating up and dissent growing in Iran among its many ethnic minorities, I predict that our "cold to mild war" with Iran is now going to heat up.
Of all the alternatives, what is disappointing is that the West has so few of them. International cooperation in stopping Iran's nuclear goals and objectives have failed. Dissenters in Iran are either dead, in jail, or abroad. There are no Iranian leaders who can rally the people against the ruling theocracy in the country. Attacking Iran in an overt manner will plunge the region into a tit for tat situation that will continue for years, terrorism will increase and radical elements will use this as a cause to continue their terrorism against us. As for nuclear weapons .... Iran will still continue with its objectives in mind.
A covert war is what we have now .... and probably been having it for the past year. This has the potential to be a very bloody and costly affair, but until I hear a more attractive counter proposal this is probably the best of a bunch of lousy actions that we can now do. The only thing that I wish I knew .... which no one is going to say right now .... is exactly what are these "actions".