Cooperation Rises between Iran and Taliban

(CBS)  The ancient city of Herat is Afghanistan's best-kept secret.

For years, it has enjoyed 24-hour electricity and a booming economy, reports CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent Lara Logan.

But it's not thanks to U.S. efforts - it's all because of Iran.

The city lies right on Afghanistan's border with Iran, fueling strong economic ties. But lately Iran's been making a different kind-of investment - one increasingly worrying to the United States: it's backing the Taliban.

A soldier from 7th Group Special Forces finds rocket propelled grenades in a hard-core Taliban village that he knows from experience, are made in Iran.

"Like right here, it says 82 mm "h-e" lot 02 slash 87," the solider said. "The Iranians pretty much copy all of our ordinance, pretty much verbatim. They'll even put English writing on there. But these lot numbers you'll never see a U.S. lot number like that."

The find confirms what U.S. commanders and troops in Afghanistan are seeing more often - a rise in the level of cooperation between Iran and the Taliban.

"I think Iran feels threatened," said David Kilcullen, a counterinsurgency expert. "And I think it feels that its interests are best served by being able to hurt the United States in Afghanistan."

Video: Afghan City's Strong Ties to Iran

CBS News Special Report: The Road Ahead

The west of Afghanistan, bordering Iran, is fast becoming a graveyard for U.S. forces. U.S. deaths there have spiked from four a year since the war began, to 13 in the last five months alone.

U.S. military officials have told CBS News that Iran is sending money and weapons onto the Afghan battlefield. But U.S. commanders are not allowed to comment publicly and it's unclear to them what the U.S. strategy is for dealing with Iran's increasingly deadly involvement.

The deadliest form of roadside bomb on the Iraqi battlefield - explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) - is now being found in Afghanistan.

Lethal armor piercing bombs that can slice through U.S. humvees are also an Iranian specialty.

More worrying still: U.S. intelligence believes Iran is supplying surface to air missiles to the Taliban - the very same weapon the U.S. supplied to the Afghan resistance to bring down the Russians.

"We are losing this war every day," said Bruce Reidel, with Brookings.

Reidel led the Obama Administration's strategy review of Afghanistan and Pakistan earlier this year. But he's also worried about Iran.

"It's clear that U.S.-Iranian relations now are going to go into an increasingly difficult period," Reidel said. "If I was sitting in Teheran, I'd be looking for the place where you could hurt the Americans the most and that's Obama's war right next door in Afghanistan."

Iran knows the U.S. is already stretched to the limit in southern and eastern Afghanistan, so opening a new front in the west can only make it even more difficult for the U.S. to succeed.

"It is more violent already but it could get a lot more violent yet," Reidel said. "In a sense Iran has fired a few warning shots across our bow."

That growing Iranian threat means there is even more at stake for the U.S. in Afghanistan than ever before.

More coverage on CBSNews.com:

Rebuilding Afghanistan, One Day at a Time
Taliban Gaining Firepower and Confidence
Public's Views of Afghanistan War Have Turned Sour
Unplugged: Afghan War Strategy
A Soldier's Last Letter From Afghanistan
Afghan Election Recount Begins
8 GIs Killed as Afghan Strategy Debated
Wanat Probe a Reminder Amid Troop Debate
Zinni: Don't Delay Decision on Afghan War

[ashaindra]

Does Iran realize they are de-stabilizing the entire world one move at a time? Putting a bounty on US soldiers is awful buuut it does show how the Taliban is starting to get desperate for money. http://******/aF5k3h

[wyodutch]

Baloney!
.
The Mad Hatters tried to blame Iran for bringing-in anti-tank mines that were shredding our armored vehicles. It turned out that the mines were Italian anti-tank mines that the CIA had provided to the Afghani resistance when it was the Russians they were fighting.
.
'Course... With our economy in the toilet... massive unemployment and mega-trillion dollar national debt... It's always a good idea to come up with a foreign enemy to divert attention to.

[jefleshman]

wydutch

I am not disagreeing with you. I would just like to know what source did you use for the Italian anti tank mines? I would like to read it Also.

Thank you.

[Orlandojon]

We have known that Iran supplies our enemies all over the world, yet we do nothing to stop it. We should be blockading all ships and planes leaving Iran bound for NK, Iraq and now Afghanistan. Obama wants to talk with Iran now. We have become the joke of the entire world

[whatdableep]

More Neo-Con propaganda!

[jefleshman]

Just a thought. Nations around the world like the US test their military technology all the time. It is just a fact. The selling of arms would not be such a big business if it wasn?t. When there is conflict how do you test your latest and greatest proto type munitions and military grade weapons or counter measures? What better way than ?In the Field?.

Though CBS did not prove it. The fact of the matter is the story is probably very true. I am sure many nations are seeing what their arsenal can do worldwide against US military vehicles, aircraft, and soldiers here in Afghanistan.

When you?re the most technologically advanced military everyone wants to try to ?defeat your technology?. However, technology and equipment is not what makes our military great. It is the American Citizen who chooses to serve freely and raises their hand that makes us great!

So do not believe the media propaganda machine who only wants to promote doom and gloom and failure for sensationalism. We make progress every single day here in Afghanistan as do the people of Afghanistan who are joining their cause for freedom as well by the thousands. Freely raising their hands in support of their freely elected government by joining their national security forces.

With the family, friends and good citizens support back home how can we ever fail? We serve for you and because we cherish the freedoms that our great country has. We never wants to loss our freedoms and way of life to the terrorists.

Thank you for reading.

[decotoguy]

lets see,in the 80's America helped the FREEDOM FIGHTERS war against
the SOVIETS,now that"GEORGE The WORST"made the FREEDOM FIGHTERS the
enemy,your saying IRAN is now supporting the Taliban.(AIDING THE ENEMY).
OK Mush for Brains Americans is this one of those proverbial sayings
"YOUR ENEMY'S FRIEND IS THE ENEMY"? WHO'S WRITING THE SCRIP?
IT'S ALL TWISTED,IT'S TIME FOR ALL GOOD KNUCKLE-HEADS TO COME
TO THE AID OF THE PENTAGON.DIE FOR OIL,OR JUST DIE..

[mrjustice1]

RELIGION:

"...hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

RELIGION:
...criples us from free and logical thinking. Consequently, it prevents us from arriving at reasonable, rational, and fair and just solutions to disputes, conflicts, wars, and so much more.

Religion continues to be a major, major scourge for mankind.

Religion continues to be about the most destructive force in mankind's shameful, history.

Religion is wrongfully forced/imposed upon those who are it's innocent victims - particularly children!

Which of our responsible world leaders will be courageous enough, and take charge with regard to movement towards phasing out and ultimately prohibiting the forcing of religion on its subject victims - its victims who are manipulated into perpetuating guaranteed conflict, wars, destruction and death?

Religion is poison. The sooner we eliminate it, the better for all peoples and nations!

[EstherHaman]

It is totally ignorant to even insinuate that Iran and Taliban are in cahoots. When Taliban/Al-Qaida were fighting the Mansur Shah and his troops of the Northern Alliance, it was only Iran that was supplying the Mansur Shah to stand in the way of Bin Ladin and his thugs to take over Afghanistan. Unfortunately, Mansur Shah was assasinated by Bin Ladin. This was the turning point before 911. The real question is where were we at that time??!!

When the Taliban reached the the capital Herat, they killed all 9 of the Iranian Embassy staff. So, does anyone still think the Iranians and the Taliban are in any sort of cooperation?! I think lack of memory and knowledge is a disease in this country. So stop getting fooled by these Zionists propaganda.

[EstherHaman]

It is totally ignorant to even insinuate that Iran and Taliban are in cahoots. When Taliban/Al-Qaida were fighting the Mansur Shah and his troops of the Northern Alliance, it was only Iran that was supplying the Mansur Shah to stand in the way of Bin Ladin and his thugs to take over Afghanistan. Unfortunately, Mansur Shah was assasinated by Bin Ladin. This was the turning point before 911. The real question is where were we at that time??!!

When the Taliban reached the the capital Herat, they killed all 9 of the Iranian Embassy staff. So, does anyone still think the Iranians and the Taliban are in any sort of cooperation?! I think lack of memory and knowledge is a disease in this country. So stop getting fooled by these Zionists propaganda.

[babooph]

Analgous to US & Israel?