Iraq surveilling US embassies.

W A S H I N G T O N, Nov. 12 ó Iraq has begun an aggressive surveillance campaign of American embassies and military facilities throughout the Persian Gulf, Europe and Asia, ABCNEWS has learned.

Sources say the United States has new intelligence indicating the Iraqi government has ordered its diplomats to use the cover of its embassies to conceal this effort. Until recently, officials say, Iraq conducted virtually no such surveillance. That has now changed dramatically.
In an incident last June, the United States expelled a U.N.-based Iraqi diplomat, Abdul Rahman I.K. Saad, alleging he had spied on the United States. He was said to have attempted to recruit several Americans who work in diplomatic and U.N. roles to contribute intelligence to Iraq.

The United States broke diplomatic relations with Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The only Iraqi diplomats who are still in the United States are those who work for the country's U.N. mission.

Targeting the U.S.

The most recent targets under surveillance include:

In Amman, Jordan, Iraqi diplomats have rented an apartment overlooking the American Embassy, allowing for 24-hour surveillance.

In Helsinki, Finland, a man was seen videotaping the U.S. Embassy from a car with Iraqi diplomatic plates.

American officials also believe that the U.S. naval facility in Rota, Spain, one of the largest in Europe, is under Iraqi surveillance. The U.S. naval complex in the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain ó by far, the most important U.S. port facility in the region ó is under surveillance as well.

Last week in the Philippines, an Iraqi diplomat was observed videotaping a cemetery where hundreds of Americans who died in World War II are buried. The cemetery was to be the scene of an official remembrance ceremony today, Veteran's Day. The event, which was to include the U.S. ambassador, was canceled because of the surveillance.

Some of the Iraqi activity is so visible, intelligence sources say, that it's not clear whether Iraqi agents want to be seen, in order to send the United States a threatening message ó or if they are just very clumsy.

Regardless of the answer, officials say they can only assume all this activity is for some kind of terrorist activity against the United States at a time and place of Iraq's choosing.

SOURCE: ABC News

this held some degree of sense right up until:

"Regardless of the answer, officials say they can only assume all this activity is for some kind of terrorist activity against the United States at a time and place of Iraq's choosing."

can they think of no other reason why iraq might want to keep surveilance on US assets? are they that stupid? why would any activity be terrorism? iraq is a nation state and if it gets its diplomats to instigate and incident then that is not terrorism. is the US attacking iraq - as is currently quite likely - terrorism?

let me ask: is the US keeping iraqi assets under surveilance? methinks so.

only a mad man wouldn't keep US assets under surveilance at the moment. its a damn good indicator of when the US might strike iraq, especially the spanish port.

- qo.

And Iraq has no reason to keep US embassies under surveillance?After all the US hasn't:
"begun an aggressive surveillance campaign of American(ooops Iraqi) embassies and military facilities throughout the Persian Gulf, Europe and Asia, "

This is a non-story.

Oh sorry/bangs head against wall/I forgot that's different.We're the good guys

Did I ever say they shouldn't be surveilling us?

No.

I just thought that it was interesting that they are allowing us to see their operatives. Any competent intelligence network would practice better tradecraft, which leads me to believe that they want to be seen.

Why?

"Oh sorry/bangs head against wall/I forgot that's different. We're the good guys."

Yes, we are. Unless you're suggesting that Saddam Hussein has the moral high ground?

By the way, are you from France?

No iluv2act,I'm British.
Is my Grammar that bad?

No, it's not that at all. Maybe I'm mistaken, but you came off as very anti-American, so I just made a wild guess...

I'm definately not anti-American.I'm proud that the British can call the Americans friends.
But look at us now.America holds the key to the future of the English speaking people.It would be a travesty if you lot made the same mistakes we did.

Ahhh, I see... We're trying to learn!

But back to my main question, does anyone have a theory as to why these operatives are letting themselves be seen?

Well my guess is if the Iraqis are out in the open,they are less likely to be harrased.If they were caught sneaking around, they would be arrested on the spot.

we used to do it in germany all the time during the cold war. "we watch them, they watch us. everyone knows where they stand." can't remember where that quote is from unfortunately.

why?

well, consider this. iraq takes stock of what the US is preparing to throw into the gulf. i.e., at iraq. the iraqis can a) find out what that is, and b) let the US know that they know what that is.

"oh, you have a carrier, 2 frigates and a handful of destroyers. righto. see you in a month ...."

[and an implied message of, "we'll be ready for you."]

and off they toddle. its an old game.

- qo.