jones4stangs
08-30-2007, 05:29 PM
I thought this article was a worthy example of how things play out in the real world.
I think the administration made the right call by not getting directly involved with candidate funding. Hopefully, doing the ethical thing will work in our favor in the long run. What do you think?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/29/AR2007082901930.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
"The CIA warned in the summer and fall of 2004 that the Iranians were pumping money into Iraq to steer the Jan. 30, 2005, elections toward the coalition of Shiite religious parties known as the United Iraqi Alliance. By one CIA estimate, Iranian covert funding was running at $11 million a week for media and political operations on behalf of candidates who would be friendly to Iran, under the banner of Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani."
"To counter this Iranian tide, the CIA proposed a political action program, initially at roughly $20 million but with no ceiling. The activities would include funding for moderate Iraqi candidates, outreach to Sunni tribal leaders and other efforts to counter Iranian influence."
"This was brought to a halt, under the pretext that the U.S. does not want to interfere."
I think the administration made the right call by not getting directly involved with candidate funding. Hopefully, doing the ethical thing will work in our favor in the long run. What do you think?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/29/AR2007082901930.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
"The CIA warned in the summer and fall of 2004 that the Iranians were pumping money into Iraq to steer the Jan. 30, 2005, elections toward the coalition of Shiite religious parties known as the United Iraqi Alliance. By one CIA estimate, Iranian covert funding was running at $11 million a week for media and political operations on behalf of candidates who would be friendly to Iran, under the banner of Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani."
"To counter this Iranian tide, the CIA proposed a political action program, initially at roughly $20 million but with no ceiling. The activities would include funding for moderate Iraqi candidates, outreach to Sunni tribal leaders and other efforts to counter Iranian influence."
"This was brought to a halt, under the pretext that the U.S. does not want to interfere."