Lurching Toward War

Here's some more on the American military raid on that Iranian consulate in Kurdistan. Obviously, Iran complaining about violations of diplomatic protocol is a bit rich. By the same toke, Americans complaining that a foreign country's military is meddling in Iraqi affairs is a bit rich.

The arrests of the Iranians "is an illegal act and if such an act took place in another country there would have been grave consequences," said Nouri Talabani, a member of the parliament in Kurdistan.

Is this Nouri Talabani related to Jalal Talabani?

Comments

"By the same toke. . . ."

Best typo ever.

Posted by Garamond12 | January 14, 2007 8:10 PM

I don't know where our military get off invading Iranian embassy. They are MISLAMS. They are very holy people and only want peace. I just think we need too stay out of they're business and give them the proper respect that MISLAMS are entitle.

And BTW Ziggy, neighbor's (Iran and Iraq) have not only rite but obligation to help each other out. It is in the Quoran. Read it please. Okay, so Iran is helping kick invader's out of Iraq. No problem with that is their?

With Hillary Clinton for President they're will be piets with the Mislams because America will start to show them their proper respeck.

merci

Posted by hillary for president | January 14, 2007 10:05 PM

It's odd these Iranians were arrested is suposedly insurgency-free Kurd terrirtory.

It's odder still that the supposedly Iran-hatin' Kurds are protesting their arrest.

Could the administration be not be telling us the whole truth about Iraq?

Posted by alphie | January 14, 2007 10:19 PM

The Kurds did more than protest. NPR reported an armed standoff, lasting for an hour or more, between Kurdish milita and US forces, shortly after this raid on the Iranian facility.

Posted by dale | January 14, 2007 10:51 PM

With Hillary Clinton for President they're will be piets with the Mislams

Before the advent of blogs I really had no idea how many hate-filled morons there are in America.

Posted by grh | January 14, 2007 11:03 PM

Dr. Nouri Talabany usually spells his last name differently than the current president of Iraq, Jalal Talabani, so I would have to guess he's from the same clan (googling "Talabani clan" returns a bucnh of hits on what I gather is a prominent Kurdish political family from Kirkuk), but not a close relative. He's also an independent Kurdish MP, whereas Jalal Talabani leads one of the two main parties...

It's not entirely on-topic, but there is an article out tonight from McClatchy (formerly Knight-Ridder) that is as fine a piece of actual journalism on Iraq as I've seen in years, cutting through much of the egregious lying and spin coming from the administration. (h/t to Daily Kos)

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/16460924.htm

Seriously, it's jawdropping in not being bamboozled, and reporting on actual facts, and how they relate to current events. If only there was a prize for journalsim, it would deserve one. Wait, there is?

Posted by jfaberuiuc | January 14, 2007 11:05 PM

By the same toke,

And here I thought Yglesias typo-spotting was a drinking game...

Posted by Eric Scharf | January 15, 2007 12:02 PM

As I understand it the 'embassy' was self designated by the Kurds and Iran but never accepted by the Iraqi government.

It is the status of the Kurdish ruled area that produces these headaches. When Hussein was in power we thought it fine for the Kurds to run their own area. And since the Kurds aren't fighting the current government we think that is fine too.

But when Turkey, our ally, has fits about the Kurds's independent ideas then it isn't so fine. Or when they don't want to obey the central government. Or us.

Posted by K | January 15, 2007 3:05 PM

Iran complaining about violations of diplomatic protocol is a bit rich. . . .

It's been over twenty-five years.

Posted by David Tomlin | January 15, 2007 3:25 PM