When the news about the alleged Iranian terror plot first broke, I — as is my wont — saw red. When it comes to national security, I tend to drop most everything else, especially politics, and get rather worked up. And I make no apologies for that — I have a tremendous freedom, having no real position of power or authority or influence, so I can indulge my passions.
But then more details came out, and now I’m questioning things. There’s an alternative narrative to the story, and it gives me a great deal of pause.
According to those who’ve closely examined the legal documents filed and released so far (and are far better qualified to read and understand them), this started in Mexico, where an Iranian-born American got in touch with a member of the Sinaloa Mexican drug cartel. Or, at least, someone who he thought was a member, but was actually an informant for the DEA. The Iranian-American said that he had a contact with Iran’s Qods Force, and they wanted him to help arrange the kidnapping of the Saudi Ambassador to the United States. The informant contacted his handlers, and opened negotiations. The kidnapping plan became an assassination plan, with the use of bombs, and a few bombs tossed at the Israeli Embassy were also added to the plan. Then actual money changed hands, and the US arrested one of the two Iranian-American suspects — the other remains at large.
Under this narrative, the first one arrested immediately spilled his guts and implicated the other guy and the Iranians. He’s been in custody for a few weeks, but his arrest — and the story — wasn’t released until yesterday. Released yesterday not by Homeland Security or the FBI or the DEA, but Eric Holder, Attorney General. On the very day he was expected to get a subpoena from the House over his involvement in the Fast And Furious scandal.
And the theory is that this was a medium-sized plot that the US informant escalated into a bigger plot, and then was busted to make it look like the Obama administration had foiled a major plot. And the announcement was timed to give Holder a much-needed PR boost and buy him a little time before he’s called to account for his involvement in F&F.
Do I believe it? No. Do I find it plausible? Yeah. Plausible enough that I’m going to do what I should have done at first, and taken a “wait and see” approach on this. I’m going to let it develop a bit, take some time to let more facts unfold.
Because there’s another theory that also makes a bit of sense. One that notes that Iran is working on developing nuclear weapons. And a plan like this — carrying out two bombings in the heart of Washington, DC — would give them a chance to demonstrate that they could easily deliver those nuclear warheads anywhere they like, even our nation’s capitol.
Either way, I want heads to roll. If it’s the former, I’ll settle for figurative ones.
