US govt funds are going to "Al Qaeda"

Qu'elle surprise:

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Hersh_Pentagon_panel_created_to_plan_0225.html

excerpt:
US clandestine operations in Iran, Lebanon and Syria have been "guided by Vice President Dick Cheney," the magazine reports, relying heavily on Saudi Arabia and on the Saudi national security advisor, Prince Bandar.

"A by-product of these activities has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and sympathetic to Al-Qaeda," Hersh concludes.

"The 'redirection,' as some inside the White House have called the new strategy, has brought the United States closer to an open confrontation with Iran and, in parts of the region, propelled it into a widening sectarian conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims."

Some US aid distributed to Sunni groups in Lebanon falls into the hands of radical groups, US, European and Arab officials told the weekly magazine.

"We're spreading the money around as much as we can," a former senior intelligence official said, and that has "serious potential unintended consequences."

Such money "always gets in more pockets than you think it will," the source said. "It's a very high-risk venture."

A member of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government in Lebanon said: "We have a liberal attitude that allows Al-Qaeda types to have a presence here."

Related story here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=125&topic_id=143593&mesg_id=143593

"There is an apparent debate between some in the US government over which is more dangerous to US interests: Iran or Sunni radicals. Some in the Administration have argued that Iran is the bigger threat, which is a victory for the Saudi line, writes Hersh.

In the Saudi view, Saudi Arabia is "taking a political risk by joining the U.S. in challenging Iran: Bandar is already seen in the Arab world as being too close to the Bush Administration. 'We have two nightmares,' former diplomat told . 'For Iran to acquire the bomb and for the United States to attack Iran. I’d rather the Israelis bomb the Iranians, so we can blame them. If America does it, we will be blamed.'"

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Also, if Israel does attack, the US will be obliged to step in. It has been obvious to me for some time now that we are participating in a game of divide and conquer by fomenting chaos between the Sunni and Shia. It was reported a few months ago that the Saudis were funding the Sunnis and Iran was funding the Shia in a proxy war. What the Saudis and Israel want--and the military defense industry--is what matters to "our" government, not what the public demands. Funding the Sunnis serves all interests in the effort to take down Iran.

to get their dirty work done - or at least it seems that way.

Need a New Pearl Harbor?
Need a sectarian conflict in Iraq?
Need someone to take on Hezbollah...