# Bush Admin countering Iran by -- funding Sunni groups with al-Qaeda connections??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 1, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222 "2007-03-01T22:22:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/1 "2007-03-01T22:22:04Z")
So says Seymour Hersh of _The New Yorker._ Story [here.](http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/25/hersh-qaeda/) Original _TNY_ article [here.](http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/070305fa_fact_hersh) Interview with Hersh on the issue [here.](http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/28/150251) Is this true? If it is – OK, this is getting just too bizarre, even by the standards to which we have grown accustomed since January 2001. It’s like the Iran-Contra scandal on LSD. Or does anyone here care to defend this as a rational decision? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/2 "2007-03-01T22:41:05Z")
Well, there were supposedly things that even John “Let’s git them nuns raped already” Negroponte wouldn’t back… Maybe you just cited one of them? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/3 "2007-03-01T23:18:41Z")
This is so completely insane that it _has_ to be true. I’m only partly kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/4 "2007-03-01T23:25:05Z")
Supposedly there are several members of Congress who are fervent supporters of the Mujahidin e-Khalq, a certified terrorist group and personality cult who happen to be fighting against the Iranian government. Nevermind the people they’ve killed using terror tactics, as long as they’re anti-Iran. So, no, I’m not surprised. And I think it’s only going to get more convoluted and weirder. ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/5 "2007-03-02T00:09:51Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] So says Seymour Hersh of _The New Yorker._ Story [here.](http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/25/hersh-qaeda/) Original _TNY_ article [here.](http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/070305fa_fact_hersh) Interview with Hersh on the issue [here.](http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/28/150251) Is this true? If it is – OK, this is getting just too bizarre, even by the standards to which we have grown accustomed since January 2001. It’s like the Iran-Contra scandal on LSD. Or does anyone here care to defend this as a rational decision? [/QUOTE] They’re probably waiting for the official word from Snopes. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/6 "2007-03-02T00:18:11Z")
What’s that you say? American foreign policy is supporting murderous thugs we agree with to fight murderous thugs we disagree with while we talk about democracy and freedom and make some money on the side? That’s crazy talk. Only some crazy terrorist hugging hippie communist nazi would say something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/7 "2007-03-02T00:19:57Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] If it is – OK, this is getting just too bizarre, even by the standards to which we have grown accustomed since January 2001. It’s like the Iran-Contra scandal on LSD. Or does anyone here care to defend this as a rational decision? [/QUOTE] Well, I’d rate it as rational ( stupid and vile, but rational ) by Bush Admin standards. It makes much more sense once you realize that Bush and friends have never cared at all about Al Qaeda except as a bogeyman; they _do_ care about Iran. If hurting Iran means strengthening Al Queda they won’t care, and they might even look at that as a benefit. More terrorism makes Al Qaeda a better bogeyman. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/8 "2007-03-02T20:30:05Z")
Boy, I like this line (from the first link in the OP): > [@](#): > > Hersh says the U.S. has been “pumping money, a great deal of money, without congressional authority, without any congressional oversight” for covert operations in the Middle East where it wants to “stop the Shiite spread or the Shiite influence.” Apparently it never occurred to these gnatbrains that establishing a truly democratic Iraq would result in a Shiite-controlled country! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/9 "2007-03-02T21:33:14Z")
Supporting our enemies’ enemies no matter what is exactly the kind of U.S. policy that helped the Taliban (and al-Qaeda) win control of Afghanistan. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/10 "2007-03-02T21:53:05Z")
Except that in this case we’re supporting our enemies’ enemies’ enemies. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/11 "2007-03-03T02:52:20Z")
And feeling like we’ve been subjected to enemas, enemas, enemas. . . . ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/12 "2007-03-03T04:19:12Z")
Scorpions and frogs, folks. Scorpions and frogs… ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/13 "2007-03-03T11:22:01Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Scorpions and frogs, folks. Scorpions and frogs… [/QUOTE] Because it is my nature. … to commit suicide … ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-admin-countering-iran-by-funding-sunni-groups-with-al-qaeda-connections/394222/14 "2007-03-03T17:33:13Z")
We’ve been suporting an international terrorist org against Iran for a whil now, the [Sazeman-e Mojahedin-e Khalq](http://www.irrationallyinformed.com/search05i.php?misc=search&subaction=showfull&id=1121884220&archive=1121884287&cnshow=news&ucat=1&start_from=&) This organization has been allowed to raise funds in Washington DC with the help of Bush’s defense policy advisors. They had a fundraiser in the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall of all places. What many people fail to appreciate is that there are Good Terrorists and Bad, Bad Terrorists. We onlt hang out with the Good Terrorists, so it’s okay.