It’s amazing how stuck on stupid the left is. Just as an aside, when Obama spends even one day in a prison camp with his bones broken he can speak of Senator McCain on miltiary matters. Until then, STFU.

In any case the left is pounding him on saying Iran is equipping Al Qaeda in Iraq, but the fact is that he is absolutely correct.

We knew this back in January of 2007 when captured Iranian documents showed that they were supporting both Sunni and Shiite terrorists. For Firedog Lake readers that means Al Qaeda.

Thomas Joscelyn at the Weekly Standard adds these facts to the point.

“Consider, for example:

‚Ä¢ Earlier this month, the U.S. military and the current head of Iraqi intelligence reported that Iran has been targeting al Qaeda’s enemies–not al Qaeda itself–inside Iraq. There have also been a number of reports on Iran‚Äôs support for al Qaeda in Iraq. The Kurds have routinely complained about Iran‚Äôs support for al Qaeda‚Äôs affiliate, Ansar al-Islam. For more on Ansar al-Islam‚Äôs ties to Iran, and other bad actors, see Dan Darling‚Äôs excellent primer. As Darling wrote: “Another apparent relationship exists between Ansar and radical elements of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which seeks to use Ansar as a proxy force against the Coalition in Iraq.”

• More generally, the theological differences between Iran and al Qaeda have never been a serious impediment to cooperation. For example, I wrote a lengthy essay on the topic of Iran’s cooperation with al Qaeda going back to the early 1990’s. And in a recent piece, I detailed the evidence cooperation between Iran’s chief terrorist, the late Imad Mugniyah, and al Qaeda.

‚Ä¢ The 9-11 Commission found extensive evidence of collaboration between Iran and al Qaeda. For example, the Commission concluded (p. 61): “The relationship between al Qaeda and Iran demonstrated that Sunni-Shia divisions did not necessarily pose an insurmountable barrier to cooperation in terrorist operations.”

‚Ä¢ The Clinton administration recognized the relationship between al Qaeda, Iran, and Iran‚Äôs terrorist proxy, Hezbollah. Here is, in part, what the Clinton administration charged in its indictment of al Qaeda following the August 1998 embassy bombings: “USAMA BIN LADEN, the defendant, and al Qaeda also forged alliances with the National Islamic Front in the Sudan and with representatives of the government of Iran, and its associated terrorist group Hizballah, for the purpose of working together against their perceived common enemies in the West, particularly the United States.”

• The mainstream media, including the Washington Post itself, has reported on Iran’s ties to al Qaeda. But now a blog hosted by the Washington Post dismisses the idea that the two could collaborate.

John McCain was right the first time. He shouldn’t have taken his comment back. But this whole imbroglio shows just how much ignorance there is concerning our terrorist enemies.

Don’t let the facts though confuse them that must remain on the illusion they created through a compliant media. The simple fact is that McCain should have stuck to his statement.

UPDATE: How do you prove your point when you spin the opposition’s point. Think Progress (That George Soros Site), has a new section called “Wonk Room” (talk about kettle black). They’re retort to Joscelyn’s article?

“Joscelyn‚Äôs evidence is wafer-thin. Several of his sources link to a single New York Sun item claiming that the Quds Force, a division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, ‚Äúis working with individuals affiliated with Al Qaeda in Iraq.‚Äù Joscelyn also suggests that the fact that ‚ÄúIran has been targeting al Qaeda‚Äôs enemies‚Äìnot al Qaeda itself‚Äìinside Iraq‚Äù is proof of an Al Qaeda-Iran alliance, when it‚Äôs nothing of the sort. Iran supported attacks against Awakenings groups because the Sunni militias threatened Iran‚Äôs Shia allies; Al Qaeda attacked Awakenings groups because they threatened al Qaeda. This is not an alliance, this is ‚ÄúSix Degrees of Osama Bin Laden.”

Do say? The ignorance here is simply astounding. To return serve there is simply no evidence of “Iran supported attacks against Awakenings groups because the Sunni militias threated Iran’s Shia allies”, just the “say so” of MM.

Sorry, no dice.

On the other hand Eli Lake’s sources on his story - a full year ago - are impecable. In addition Lake’s story was further collaborated by the US Military in April of 2007.

“Citing testimony from detainees in U.S. custody, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell said Iranian intelligence operatives were backing the Sunni militants inside Iraq while at the same time training Shiite extremists in Iran.

Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell said that “Iranian intelligence services have provided to some Sunni insurgent groups some support.”

“We have, in fact, found some cases recently where Iranian intelligence services have provided to some Sunni insurgent groups some support,” Caldwell told reporters, adding that he was aware of only Shiite extremists being trained inside Iran. Caldwell cited a collection of munitions on a nearby table that he said were made in Iran and found two days ago in a majority-Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad.”

But then like they said of General Patraeus, General Caldwell MUST be lying.