No shit, really?

Sadr is my leader, Iran my guide

US accuses Iran over Iraqi Shias

The US military commander in Iraq has accused Iran of providing covert support to Shia extremists in Iraq.

Iran equips and trains Shia militia groups, Gen George Casey said, adding that its influence had risen recently.

Although the US has no evidence that Iranians were operating directly in Iraq, Gen Casey said "surrogates" regularly attacked US troops.

He also suggested that some troops were likely to leave Iraq this year, but no final decision has yet been taken.

He noted that troop levels had fallen since late 2005, and said he was "confident" more troops would leave during the rest of 2006.

Gen Casey is working with the US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, to draw up a proposal for potential US troop withdrawals.

He spoke as the US Senate rejected two Democrat measures calling for troop withdrawals to begin later this year.

Democrat leaders in the Senate tabled two proposals - one calling for a phased withdrawal starting in 2006, the other for all troops to be pulled out of Iraq by mid-2007.

Republicans criticised the plans, labelling one "cut and run" and the other "cut and jog".

Iranian 'surrogates'

Speaking alongside Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon, Gen Casey said intelligence on Iranian activities now confirmed previously-held suspicions.

The US has often accused Iran of aiding Shia groups in Iraq, but has offered little proof of Tehran's alleged activities.

You're threatening to bomb Iran and overthrow it's government, and you wonder if Iran is sending agents, modern Jedburghs, to help the Shia?

Jedburghs were interallied teams dropped on D-Day and after to work with the French Resistance. So why wouldn't Iran do the same to protect their interests in Iraq? The mullahs are going to do that like we would or anyone sane would. It's their security leverage, tying to us to Iraq and making any attack difficult.

I assumed it when the US started talking up the MEK cult and threatening the mullahs. What did anyone think would happen? That they would wait for the B-2's and ODA's walking around their country, stirring up trouble?

Of course, Iran is sending agents to Iraq to help the Shia.