Iran minister: kidnap victim or defector

Former Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Ali Reza Asghari has disappeared and no one is sure why. All that is known is that the Iranian government didn't admit to his disappearance in Turkey for ten days. The Arab press says the Americans took him; some Turks and other Europeans say that he offered his services to the United States.

What does Asghari know? Well, he could give us some unique insight into Iran's nuclear program. He also has rare knowledge of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which is the command center for the country's terrorist activities. He was a top commander in the Guard in the 1980s, and is considered to be one of the godfathers of Hezbullah.

Iran says that Asghari doesn't know anything relevant because his government service ended years ago. But that's just the type of cover story the Soviets used to put up when their agents and military officers defected to the West. And those defections help bring us victory in the Cold War.