The deal re Afghanistan ( in the very early stages of the Afghan war ) at least regarding Hekmatyar and his folks going in to take Herat wasn't much of a secret at the time. I'm not sure they did it out of any motive other than short term tactics.

Iran, as always, is playing its own game. And part of our incentive to dig in deep in Afghanistan while fighting in Iraq was to have Tehran looking over it's shoulder.

Most importantly - it is very important to get on the ground someplace where you can put things that will be there for a hundred years after you leave and that can talk to satellites and ...

I don't think the Iranians quite get exactly what problems they have on their flanks, but they may know just enough to be very very nervous. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the success of the surge was due to some stuff we won't hear about for 25 years.

>Hmmm There will be a documentary on BBC 2 about [get this] cooperation between the USA and Iran beginning with the war in Afghanistan against the Taliban. There certainly is a lot of things we do not get to know about until long after. Why is that?
>
>>>How far is Tel Aviv from Pakistan. ?
>>>I think that Israel needs to start looking a little wider . there's already an Islamic state with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and its becoming more radical ever day.
>>
>>I agree, and if the US were not being quite proactive in Pakistan right now I think Isreal would probably have more Mossad in Pakistan than they have now ( remember they do not share our difficulty in having quite believable Arab / Urdu / Pashtu / Dari / Farsi / Uzbek linguists. Diaspora has its perks.
>>
>>>
>>>>>The US has already said no.
>>>>
>>>>And I'm sure the Israelis have already said "Thank you for your opinion." <s> My personal feeling is if Netanyahu feels something is necessary for Israel's survival he will fall back on the old adage "It is easier to seek forgiveness than permisson."
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I doubt they would get US approval for anything overt.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Well as the North Koreans have demonstrated you get a lot more respect with one than without one.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>The North Koreans aren't a Shahab-5 missile away from Tel Aviv and making "erase Israel" noises. If the Koreans were to start talking about how they want to wipe out China they would quickly get an order of Chinese takeout - lots of stick, hold the carrots - and we'd be talking about where North Korea used to be.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Let's review : Iraq - Osirak - boom. Iraq - Gerard Bull - super cannon - boom (in that case the boom was in the part of Bull's brain that invented super cannons). Syria - Tall al-Abyad - boom. (and I'll betcha there have been a whole lot of quiet little booms that don't make the papers)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I am never sure why people don't think the Israelis aren't serious about this survival thing ...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>And Netanyahu isn't a dovish softy, like Begin <g>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>BTW there's a series showing on BBC now "Iran and the west" try and watch it. In part 2 there's one quite funny bit where the US team fail to recognise which Iranian is sitting on the other side of the table at the UN. Secondly the Us failed to respond to Khatami's overtures becuase he didn't deal with the hardliners in Iran, failing completely to see that his position was tenuous and could have been helped with a little give on the US side. And who caused the US to take the hard line, the security services. Well done guys remember to try and see the big picture some time.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>This may be a case where having a single bomb may be a lot more dangerous to Iran than having no bomb at all.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>They say that in the ruins of that mysterious place in Syria on the Turkish border than mysteriously got bombed last year they found traces of graphite used in nuclear processing ...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>And Netanyahu will soon form a government ... no more "Mr. Nice Guy" ...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f367aada-fec8-11dd-b19a-000077b07658.html
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Snippet:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Iran has built up a stockpile of enough enriched uranium for one nuclear bomb, United Nations officials acknowledged on Thursday.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>In a development that comes as the Obama administration is drawing up its policy on negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme, UN officials said Iran had produced more nuclear material than previously thought.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>If such a quantity were further enriched it could produce more than 20kg of fissile material – enough for a bomb.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>“It appears that Iran has walked right up to the threshold of having enough low enriched uranium to provide enough raw material for a single bomb,” said Peter Zimmerman, a former chief scientist of the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>..
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Well, there's still a ways to go...