U.S. arrests man in connection with plot to kill Saudi ambassador

[GentlemanJim]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive. What could possibly have been achieved by a half baked plot to kill a Saudi Diplomat on US soil? Remember had it been carried out successfully there would have been no claim of responsibility by an Iranian Government. So what is/was the point?

[Jingthing]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive. What could possibly have been achieved by a half baked plot to kill a Saudi Diplomat on US soil? Remember had it been carried out successfully there would have been no claim of responsibility by an Iranian Government. So what is/was the point?

I have no problem with skepticism but what are you saying here? If westerners can't figure out a "rational" motivation, it didn't/couldn't have been planned? Please.

Edited October 14, 2011 by Jingthing

[GentlemanJim]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive. What could possibly have been achieved by a half baked plot to kill a Saudi Diplomat on US soil? Remember had it been carried out successfully there would have been no claim of responsibility by an Iranian Government. So what is/was the point?

I have no problem with skepticism but what are you saying here? If westerners can't figure out a "rational" motivation, it didn't/couldn't have been planned? Please.

Well it obviously was planned, but the question remains by whom. If it were Iran all along trying to get up to some dastardly deed which would have had zero benefit to them then why do they not just say now "yes it was us and you were lucky to find out in time"?, why do they protest that it is nothing to do with them. The ONLY people that can benefit from this situation would be the POTUS, his administration and the defence corporations. The "it just doesn't make sense" bell is ringing Jingthing, can you hear it? I have no axe to grind, I am on no side, this just does not make sense, and God forbid it is used as an excuse to increase sanctions, increase tensions and lead to the war that the US needs and Israel wants. It is stupid, it is amateurish and it just doesn't make any sense at all unless you look 180 degrees out for the motivational factor.

[Scott]

Apparently we have a few more posters who don't believe in staying on topic. NOT ABOUT IRAQ. NOT ABOUT BUSH. Not about other posters intelligence.

You may soon find yourself joining another posters who is on holiday.

Final warning.

[Ulysses G.]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive. What could possibly have been achieved by a half baked plot to kill a Saudi Diplomat on US soil?

The same point as many terrorist plots. To kill the enemies of the terrorists and make the US look powerless to stop it.

[GentlemanJim]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive. What could possibly have been achieved by a half baked plot to kill a Saudi Diplomat on US soil?

The same point as many terrorist plots. To kill the enemies of the terrorists and make the US look powerless to stop it.

That's a bit thin Ulysses. Clutching at straws there.

[Ulysses G.]

It is actually pretty much terrorism 101.

[rijb]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive. What could possibly have been achieved by a half baked plot to kill a Saudi Diplomat on US soil? Remember had it been carried out successfully there would have been no claim of responsibility by an Iranian Government. So what is/was the point?

Just in ... possible motive

[Ulysses G.]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive.

Just in ... possible motive

Indeed.

If the Iranians needed a motive to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States they may have found it in a diplomatic cable leaked earlier this year by WikiLeaks.

In the April 20, 2008 cable, Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir relayed to America’s No. 3 diplomat in Riyadh that the Saudi king wanted the U.S. to attack Iran’s nuclear program. “He told you to cut off the head of the snake,” the cable quotes al-Jubeir as saying.

[GentlemanJim]

All well and good, but the question remains about motive. What could possibly have been achieved by a half baked plot to kill a Saudi Diplomat on US soil? Remember had it been carried out successfully there would have been no claim of responsibility by an Iranian Government. So what is/was the point?

Just in ... possible motive

A good read, thanks. That makes much more sense and would indeed make a good credible motive.

[geriatrickid]

Considering some of Iran's recent actions and claims such as the threat to station its navy off of North American territorial waters, it is not unreasonable to consider the legitimacy of the Iranian plot. The suggestion that this event was initiated as a plot by the UK, Israel and the USA to justify military intervention in Iran isn't justified by current events. Please consider the following;

1. Any conflict with Iran would close down the world's strategic oil supply.. It could destroy the economies of some countries, particularly India, China, the EU and the USA. Although China receives all of its gas imports from Russia and the USA is somewhat secure with its two largest energy suppliers of Canada and Mexico, any interruption of energy supplies would do serious damage.

2. The US and Eu cannot afford another military conflict. In plain language they are broke and don't have the money.

3. Israel cannot afford another mideast war. The results this war would leave most of Israel destroyed as Iran has the capacity to launch multiple missiles. It could spark attacks from Syria. Israel's own military has recommended that all conflict be avoided due to the ramifications.

4. Turkey would not support such a conflict and one cannot successfully attack Iran without Turkey's support, even if the Gulf States ask that the Iranians be attacked.

Nope, sorry, but The Iranian leadership hasn't been all there in the head for quite some time. It is a society that is cut off from reality. One need only look at the example of North Korea with its sinking of the South Korean naval vessel or launching of artillery barrages into South Korea to understand that point. The Iranians are as desperate as North Korea.

[bonobo]

Am I missing something? Has there been any report from the US government or statements by US government officials that the top levels of the Iranian government are involved? From what I have read, there have only been comments that this possibility needs to be investigated.

If the upper levels of the government are involved, I am sure their are layers and layers of plausible deniability. But I think the more likely case is that a whacko Irianian American got some assistance from unofficial, semi-offical or even very low-level official Iranians/organizations. Sort of a roll the dice with the crazy guy and see what comes up.

I would be stunned if this whole thing is made up by the US, which has much more to lose by that coming out than by almost any other scenario.

[Pakboong]

This plot seems silly to the point it is childlike. I simply do not want my country in another war and this is more likely IMO to create a connection between the US and Iran that was too hard to see by the American public. The vast number of Americans do not care about the middle east and they certainly do not care about Israel. They have their own problems right now with the economy and the fact that we are in the middle of two or three other wars that we simply don't seem to be able to close out.

The only motive that seems clear to me is that Israel needs the support of the American people in a war against Iran. The problem I have with that logic is that the plot was not Mossad like. They just wouldn't put together something that silly. But, things have changed over the years.

I don't care for the Iranian leadership, but I can say the same thing about Israel. That doesn't mean that I want my country to conduct a preemptive strike on either country. I do consider Israel to be more likely do damage my comfort and that of people I care about than Iran. At my age, that is all that really matters.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Pakboong

[Ulysses G.]

The vast number of Americans do not care about the middle east and they certainly do not care about Israel.

This claim is about as factual as the rest of the rant.

Support for Israel in U.S. at 63%, Near Record High

http://www.gallup.com/poll/126155/support-israel-near-record-high.aspx

Edited October 15, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[flying]

This claim is about as factual as the rest of the rant.

Support for Israel in U.S. at 63%, Near Record High

http://www.gallup.com/poll/126155/support-israel-near-record-high.aspx

Actually a gallop poll is 1000 people out of over 300 million.

So I would not say it is factual in this 63% claim either.

Folks who actually live in America are more & more anti-war these days & anti-handouts since we

ourselves are in a financial crisis.

But we are straying off topic

On topic I am happy to see so many here in America questioning the initial knee jerk reaction

to this obviously questionable claim of an Iranian backed assassination.

Edited October 15, 2011 by flying

[Ulysses G.]

This claim is about as factual as the rest of the rant.

Support for Israel in U.S. at 63%, Near Record High

http://www.gallup.com/poll/126155/support-israel-near-record-high.aspx

Actually a gallop poll is 1000 people out of over 300 million.

Perhaps you should do a little reading on how polls work.

When respondents to be interviewed are selected at random, every adult has an equal probability of falling into the sample. The typical sample size for a Gallup poll, either a traditional stand-alone poll or one night's interviewing from Gallup's Daily tracking, is 1,000 national adults with a margin of error of ±4 percentage points. Gallup's Daily tracking process now allows Gallup analysts to aggregate larger groups of interviews for more detailed subgroup analysis. But the accuracy of the estimates derived only marginally improves with larger sample sizes.http://www.gallup.com/poll/101872/how-does-gallup-polling-work.aspx

Edited October 15, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[Steely Dan]

To try to apply western "logic" in determining what wave train some of the Jihad backing countries may be on, would seem to be an exercise in futility for many of us. We acknowledge that Thai logic, thinking is beyond our comprehension many times, and then the same people propose they have the religious zealots figured out????

Most of us have acknowledged, as we have gotten older and somewhat wiser/experienced that there are a multitude of things we do not, nor will understand in our lifetime. Those that may have doubts on this may have missed out living with a wife, Thai or otherwise, teenagers, the military, or exposure to religious fanatics. Looking back I can see a lot of similarities between the mindset of all of them.

Agreed, an exercise in futility indeed, a bit like rationalizing why so many albinos are hacked to death in sub-Saharan Africa. Here is an article I find plausible - the mad Mullahs actually do want a scrap, their actions all point to it such as threatening to station their navy outside U.S coastal waters.

http://www.debka.com/article/21387/

The motivation for the foiled Iranian-instigated plot to murder the Saudi ambassador to Washington at his favorite eatery, Café Milano in Georgetown, is revealed by debkafile's Iranian sources as a bid by a super-radical faction at the top of the Iranian regime to draw the United States into a limited military clash. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved the plot when his son and heir Mojtaba, 42, and the Al Qods Brigades commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani presented him with their "grand plan."

[flying]

Perhaps you should do a little reading on how polls work.

Actually I know quite well how they work both Gallop & US govt type polls such as UE etc.

So I stick to my opinion that they do not represent well.

But as I said off topic so I will let it go thanks

[up-country_sinclair]

An increase in hostilities of this magnitude is the last thing that the power structure in Tehran wanted or needed. They could have killed this particular (or any) Saudi diplomat anywhere in the world, and we're supposed to believe they chose do it in the US? In this post 9/11 world we find ourselves in, this would be labeled an act of terrorism and ultimately an act of war. Does anyone really believe that Tehran wants to become the next Baghdad? It's preposterous on its face.

Several posters have raised the possibility of this being a false flag event. If true, the question that needs to be asked is: which country feels threatened by Iran and would benefit the most from the US military attacking Iran.

[Ulysses G.]

the question that needs to be asked is: which country feels threatened by Iran and would benefit the most from the US military attacking Iran.

Saudi Arabia, who was also featured in the plot. That is probably why they encouraged America to take out Iran's nukes before it is too late.

[Credo]

There are a host of reasons why Iran would attempt to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador in the US. First, it would drive a wedge between the Saudi's and the US. The Middle East is the land of conspiracies and there would be no way the Saudis wouldn't secretly believe that the US allowed it to happen.

Second, it would make a mockery out of everything from the Patriot Act and the Homeland Security apparatus. This would also fuel speculation about complicity on the US part.

As a previous poster showed, the Saudis have encouraged the US to attack Iran.

As far as a pretext for war, it would be a poor one. Few Americans give a toss about a Saudi diplomat and few would sanction any type of action on behalf of the Saudi political system.

Had the Iranians, or as Bonobo suggested, some lower layer of the political system, pulled it off, it would have been a real coup.

Crazy, perhaps, but if it had worked, it would have had interesting consequences.

[Pakboong]

The guy who runs Iranian intelligence activities is Qasim Soleimani, He is considered quite competent by US intelligence. I just cannot believe that he would have recruited the bumbling moron used car dealer to conduct Iran's most significant operation ever. Just does not hold up as plausible by any standard.

There are 7 million Muslims living in the US, many of whom are Iranian expats. Why involve the Mexican drug cartel much less the moron who we arrested?

Edited October 15, 2011 by Pakboong

[Steely Dan]

The guy who runs Iranian intelligence activities is Qasim Soleimani, He is considered quite competent by US intelligence. I just cannot believe that he would have recruited the bumbling moron used car dealer to conduct Iran's most significant operation ever. Just does not hold up as plausible by any standard.

There are 7 million Muslims living in the US, many of whom are Iranian expats. Why involve the Mexican drug cartel much less the moron who we arrested?

Unless of course the object was to be discovered to cause a U.S reaction, but not too large a one.

Stop press: U.S officials dispatched to Moscow, Beijing and Anakara to give briefing about Iranian plot.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Steely Dan

[Credo]

There are thousands of Iranian expats, but using a Mexican drug cartel would have moved things to a whole new level. Who would expect a drug cartel to be involved in a political assassination of a Saudi diplomat? Who would be watching for it?

The drug cartels have a much larger network for carrying out such actions.

Had the drug cartel done it, it would have taken a long time to figure out what was going on. Was the Saudis ambassador involved in drugs....?

[geriatrickid]

Isn't Iran ticked off with Saudi Arabia for sending troops into Bahrain? In March the NYT reported, The Saudi decision to send in troops could further inflame the conflict and transform this teardrop of a nation in the Persian Gulf into the Middle East’s next proxy battlefield between regional and global powers.

Iran did threaten Saudi Arabia with a serious retaliation at the time as Iran viewed the 1200 Saudi and 800 UAE troops in Bahrain as an intrusion into the well being of its interests and an attack against the Shiites in the region.

I don't think anyone needs to go on a fishing expedition for false flag events or conspiracies. it is tit for tat, typical of middle eastern politics and relations. I suppose some westerners just don't get it that many Arabs loathe the Iranians who represent a religious and political view that is contrary to the prevailing sentiment. In Saudi Arabia, Shiites are considered to be apostates.

[Pakboong]

CNN ran a piece on this today. A bit refreshing that the MSM is capable of looking beyond the basics. It is a rare day for me to agree with the mainstream media.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/12/us/analysis-iran-saudi-plot/

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted.

Please stay on the topic and refrain from comments on or about other posters if you want your post to remain.

No one is under any obligation to address other posters.

[Scott]

A post which is nothing more than a conspiracy theory has been deleted.

Further nonsense posts will result in suspensions.

Re-read the OP and stay on-topic.

[flying]

CNN ran a piece on this today. A bit refreshing that the MSM is capable of looking beyond the basics. It is a rare day for me to agree with the mainstream media.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/12/us/analysis-iran-saudi-plot/

+1 & I agree that it is not often the mainstream media uses reason & logic.

I did have to laugh though just reading the first paragraph...Made me wonder who

in their right mind would entertain that scenario at all.

Did an elite branch of Iran's military handpick a divorced, 56-year-old Iranian-American used-car salesman from Texas to hire a hitman from a Mexican drug cartel to assassinate the ambassador to Saudi Arabia by blowing up a bomb in a crowded restaurant in Washington?

[Ulysses G.]

Terrorists will use anyone they can to carry out attacks and they can not be choosy when it comes to finding US citizens willing to do this kind of assault.