About that missing Iranian general
Interesting case, and I can't really compete with Allah's roundup this morning on the guy--except to note that Ahmedinejad fired him when he was elected:
Alireza Nourizadeh, a London-based journalist, says the retired general also played a role in Lebanon. He says Asghari owed his political rise to former Defense Minister Ali Shamakhani and his abrupt departure to President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.That's one for the defection theory, I think. Leaking to the New York Times isn't really an option for fired and disgruntled Iranian generals, but leaking to America is."Following the [Iran-Iraq] war, he was among the staff members who were sent to Lebanon," Nourizadeh says. "He led the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) forces in Lebanon. At that time, he used the name 'Reza Asaker.' Later, because of his relation to Admiral Ali Shamakhani and because Shamakhani trusted him, he became a deputy defense minister. After Ahmadinejad's government came to power [in 2005], Mr. Asghari was automatically dismissed, but they gave him an advisory [post]."
Nourizadeh claims that Asghari's recent responsibilities included a 2006 military deal between Iran and Syria.
Previously, on JYB: Iranian conspiracy theories.