Iraqi Factory Found Making 'Iranian' Weapons

Fresh off the breathless reports eminating from the Whitehouse two weeks ago that Iran was supplying weapons ("explosively formed penetrators," EFPs) used against American forces in Iraq, a new discovery in Southern Iraq casts further doubt on the already dubious claims.

The Wall Street Journal reported (subscription req'd) Tuesday:

An American military raid in southern Iraq uncovered a makeshift factory used to construct advanced roadside bombs that the U.S. had thought were made only in Iran. The find raises fears that Shiite Muslim insurgents across Iraq may be able to manufacture large quantities of such weapons on their own...

This find...is forcing U.S. officials to reasses their belief that such bombs were being built in Iran and smuggled fully assembled into Iraq. U.S. commanders briefing reporters here said Iraqi militants appear able to construct the bombs out of materials purchased locally...

The US commanders said they hadn't found evidence linking the weapons to Iran's government, army, or paramilitary forces.

As Juan Cole noted at the time of the initial claims and reiterates today, most US military deaths are from Sunni insurgents to begin with. Shiite militias are much more active against the Sunnis than us. Iran supplying the Sunnis simply doesn't pass the laugh test.

That said, if Iraqi Shiites have the capability for widescale manufacture of these EFPs on their own--or are importating them from Iran--it's going to be a bloody civil war regardless of the targets.

Really my problem here is the Bush administration's total lack of credibility.