Iranian Intervention?

The latest from the Political Grapevine:

Silence Broken
The L.A. Times has now broken the silence among major news media — except Fox News — who have not been reporting on the specific allegations of the new book "Unfit For Command," which says John Kerry has completely distorted major details of his Vietnam service.

The L.A. Times, in a lengthy front-page article, says, "What military documentation exists and has been made public generally supports the view put forth by Kerry and most of his crewmates." The Times, however, does conclude Kerry has, "left himself open to criticism by giving subtly varying accounts over the years of his Vietnam service and postwar activism."

Iranian Intervention?
There are further signs that Iran may be involved in the insurgency in Iraq. Thirty Iranians have been caught fighting for rebel Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr (search) in the southern city of Kut. And according to London's Guardian, two trucks filled with weapons, on their way to Al-Sadr, were stopped at the Iranian border.

In addition, a new report in the leading Arab newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat says the Iranian government has given terrorist Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi (search), believed to be orchestrating much of the violence in Iraq, permission to enter Iranian territory whenever he or his fighters want.

The report, translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute, quotes one Iranian source as saying Al-Zarqawi's operations — "serve the supreme interests of Iran."

A Trip for a Trim
John Kerry has once again managed to have his hair styled while out of town. Last Friday he flew French-educated hairstylist Isabelle Goetz, from the Washington office of Christophe of Beverly Hills, across the country to Portland, Oregon, to give Kerry what the New York Daily News describes as just a — "trim." Goetz flew home that night.

Four months ago Kerry flew Goetz to Pittsburgh, where she styled Kerry's hair for a Sunday television appearance. No response yet from either Goetz or the Kerry campaign.

"Coward" for Not Serving in Vietnam?
Iowa Democratic Senator Tom Harkin (search) is calling Vice President Dick Cheney a — "coward" for not serving in Vietnam. But Harkin himself didn't serve in Vietnam, even though he has said otherwise.

Many years ago, Harkin repeatedly said he was a Vietnam Veteran who flew "combat air patrols" for a year, but it turned out he was stationed in Japan at the time, flying aircraft to be repaired in the Philippines and missing combat altogether. Harkin, according to the Wall Street Journal at the time, was forced to call himself a, "Vietnam Era Vet" instead.

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report