Eideard

More than a dozen CIA informants in the Middle East are thought to be facing execution after being caught by Iran and Hizbollah, due to a string of embarrassing failures by US spies.

Agents working for the US in Lebanon and Iran are said to have been outed after their handlers used trackable mobile phones and used the code-word “pizza” when agreeing to meet at a Pizza Hut.

The breaking of the two spy rings – one in the Beirut-based militant group that has killed hundreds of Americans, the other looking into the Iranian nuclear programme – amounts to a serious setback to US security. It may also make it difficult for US spies to recruit local informants in future…

Hizbollah counter-intelligence detected several mobile phones in Beirut that “were used rarely or always from specific locations and only for a short period of time”, according to the Associated Press.

Two Hizbollah double-agents, meanwhile, discovered the pizza restaurant where genuine informants were being met by pretending to work for the CIA, according to ABC News.

The leader of Hizbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, alleged in June that two high-ranking members of his group had been caught spying for the CIA, but the claims were denied by the US embassy. Iranian authorities also claimed to have discovered 30 Israeli and US agents in May.

The apparent blow comes almost two years after a suicide bomber posing as an informant killed seven CIA employees and wounded six others by gaining entry to a US base in Khost, Afghanistan.

A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment on operations.

What could he say other than offering up the usual crap arguments for slithering around in the Middle East. Historically, the CIA’s essential political function in the region has been to assure safety for Western oil companies by impeding any moves towards removing rulers-by-birthright and instituting democracy.

American generally aren’t aware of that – folks in the Middle East never forget.

Walid Jumblatt [R] meeting with Israeli-Druze delegation
Daylife/Getty Images used by permission

Walid Jumblatt, a Druze leader from Lebanon’s opposition camp, has announced his support behind Hezbollah in a move that could give the group and its allies a veto over who becomes the country’s next prime minister.

Hezbollah, which has a parliamentary bloc as well as a powerful military wing, commands overwhelmingly support among Lebanon’s Shia Muslim community.

Jumblatt said the aim of his decision on Friday was to preserve Lebanon’s stability.

“I am announcing the right political stand … by assuring the steadfastness of the group [Progressive Socialist Party] alongside Syria and the resistance [Hezbollah],” he said…

Hariri announced on Thursday in a televised speech that he would seek to form a new government despite strong pressure from Hezbollah for him to step down…

Al Jazeera’s Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, said Hariri made it clear in his speech that he will accept any outcome from political consultations expected to be launched by Michel Suleiman, the country’s president, on Monday…

“He seems to feel that he might lose the battle with the Hezbollah-led opposition if they get enough votes to nominate their own prime minister and form the next government without him,” our correspondent said…

In Lebanon’s power-sharing political system, the prime minister must be Sunni Muslim, the president Maronite Christian, and parliamentary speaker a Shia Muslim.

Stay tuned. Monday should be interesting.

Meanwhile, of course, Americans who spend all their time reading the American press, watching American TV – will be shocked to learn that many Lebanese not only don’t consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization – they feel they are patriots for resisting Israel’s invasions.