Iranian General Is Killed in Syria

[ButterflyBlood]

Source: Wall Street Journal

BEIRUT—A senior commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gen. Hassan Shateri, was assassinated on Tuesday, Iranian news agencies said.

Gen. Shateri was killed outside Iran by "Zionist agents," according to some Iranian news agencies. Iranian news site Balagh and a person with knowledge of the situation said he was killed in Syria, making him the highest-ranking Iranian official killed in Syria's uprising.

He was a senior commander in the Quds Forces, the IRGC unit that serves outside Iran's borders training proxy militia and safeguarding the Islamic Republic's interests in places like Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the person with knowledge of the situation.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324162304578302530164834200.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[MADem]

1. But....but....there was no 'adventurism' by Iran in Syria! That was a damn lie!

Made up by those people over in Satan Amrika and Satan Israel!!

He wasn't there on business....he was...having a picnic! Camping! Visiting his auntie! Yeah, that's the ticket...!

[Socal31]

2. These proxy wars will make the previous look like child's play.

Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan 1 (Russia) weren't enough.

Now we have Syria as well, who is backed by the Russians and Persians, with Saudi weapons being funneled in with tacit US support.

[MADem]

4. Yes, the Turks are helping as well.... nt

[BetterThanNoSN]

11. Umm, ok

Last i knew, Iran and Syria were allies so him being there isn't such a stretch. The bigger question is what Ops/support WE have on the ground in Syria as we have NO alliance with the players involved.
Of course, we are the good guys and would never have imperialistic motives. Think for yourself.

[MADem]

12. Please read what I have written. The Iranians have repeatedly and insistently DENIED

any adventurism in Syria. Since you're admonishing others in a rather high-handed fashion, it would behoove you to get that fact straight before you start lecturing.

Quite recently, a bunch of burly mercenary types were captured by Syrian rebels, and the guys tried to pass themselves off as pilgrims. The absurdity of not one elderly gent in a crew of a couple of dozen pilgrims didn't pass muster to any sentient being.

So, yes indeed--think for yourself, why don't you, after you read what people have written in the context of the remarks made. Your comments are not at all to the point.



Umm, ok, and whatever backatcha.

[Adsos Letter]

3. Live by the sword, die by the sword. n/t

[iamthebandfanman]

5. Iran says hes dead but

it wasnt in syria...
they are saying he was in southern lebanon and was 'assassinated' ...of course

[geek tragedy]

6. Iran blamed the Jews for it? Shocking. nt

[whistler162]

9. It doesn't rain in Iran for a week they blame Israel!

[Hugabear]

15. Actually it would not surprise me one bit

Israel has already conducted a military strike deep inside Syria, and they have a history of conducting assassinations. If they had intel that a high-ranking Iranian officer was in Syria, they might very well have decided to take action.

I'm not saying they did - but it's entirely possible they could have.

[bananas]

7. NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/14/world/middleeast/iranian-reported-killed-near-syrian-border.html?_r=0

Iranian Reported Killed Near Syrian Border
By ANNE BARNARD
Published: February 13, 2013

BEIRUT, Lebanon — At least one senior Iranian official was reported killed in an attack while driving from Syria to Lebanon on Wednesday, in separate and at times conflicting reports that drew attention to suspicions of Iran’s role in the Syrian civil war.

The Iranian Embassy in Lebanon reported that Hossam Khosh Newes, an Iranian development official working in Lebanon, was killed by “armed terrorist groups” — a phrase used by Syria and its allies as a blanket description of opposition forces — in an attack on his car on the Lebanese side of the border with Syria after he had come from Damascus.

Separately, an independent Iranian Web site reported that Gen. Hassan Shateri, a senior official of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed in a similar-sounding attack it attributed to Israel or its allies. Iran’s Fars news agency reported that a man of a similar name had been killed Wednesday, though it did not detail his military affiliation. There were varying reports about which side of the border he was killed on, and it was unclear whether he was in the same car or convoy as Mr. Newes.

Iran has solidly backed President Bashar al-Assad of Syria during his nearly two-year crackdown against the opposition. Anti-Assad fighters, as well as the United States government and Israel, have accused Iranian officials and their allies in the Shiite militant group Hezbollah of directly taking part in the civil war.

<snip>

[Katashi_itto]

8. Oops...

Well, Iran puts Generals on the ground, we put drone bases everywhere. You deploy the assets you have. Meh.

[RandiFan1290]

10. "Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard"

Sounds just like the bullshit we heard 10+ years ago about Iraq's elite Republican Guard.
Bovine America has had it's memory wiped as they ramp up the next war.

[MADem]

13. The RG aren't bad fighters at all. They may not have "stuff" but they are fearless.

The term "elite" is probably a misnomer. I'd say "tough." You don't have to be a high flyer to be a member of the RG--you just have to have talent, and they are proud of their heritage and abilities.

It's not the same as the "Republican Guard" IMO. Those guys were soft.

[Agnosticsherbet]

14. An elite military unit is one with better training, better, equipment, and is treated...

with more respect and given more resources by the military establishment of a country.

So when they say "elite Revolutionary Guard" they are referring to their superior training and resources compared to other military units with the same system.

Iraq's "elite Republican Guard" were given better equipment and training than other Iraqi military units. That did not make them a match for better equiped and armed U.S. military units.