Anonymous sources

This from the NY Times is one of the arguments for why anonymous sources should not be used by reporters. This administration clearly has an agenda in this propaganda war, and with these claims by an anonymous administration official, the administration is pushing back against some of the likely recommendations of the Iraq Study Group.

A senior American intelligence official said Monday that the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah had been training members of the Mahdi Army, the Iraqi Shiite militia led by Moktada al-Sadr.

The official said that 1,000 to 2,000 fighters from the Mahdi Army and other Shiite militias had been trained by Hezbollah in Lebanon. A small number of Hezbollah operatives have also visited Iraq to help with training, the official said.

Iran has facilitated the link between Hezbollah and the Shiite militias in Iraq, the official said. Syrian officials have also cooperated, though there is debate about whether it has the blessing of the senior leaders in Syria.

The intelligence official spoke on condition of anonymity under rules set by his agency, and discussed Iran’s role in response to questions from a reporter.

The Times is at least skeptical of the claims, and does quote a Mid-East expert:

“That sound to me a little bit strained,” said Flynt Leverett, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation and a Middle East expert formerly on the National Security Council staff. “I have a hard time thinking it is a really significant piece of what we are seeing play out on the ground with the various Shiite militia forces.”

And as for the claim that the Iranians are helping the Shiite militias . . . of course they are. This is one of those things that Congress at least should have foreseen before they OK’d the war. I mean, why is the media or anyone else surprised at this.