Iran Deploys Forces to Fight al Qaeda-Inspired Militants in Iraq
Source: WSJ
Revolutionary Guard Forces Help Iraqi Troops Win Back Control of Most of Tikrit, Sources Say
Updated June 12, 2014 9:39 p.m. ET
BEIRUTThe threat of Sunni extremists eclipsing the power of its Shiite-dominated Arab ally presents Iran with the biggest security and strategic challenge it has faced since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
With the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, an offshoot of al Qaeda, rapidly gaining territory, Iran deployed Revolutionary Guards units to Iraq, according to Iranian security officials.
Iran has invested considerable financial, political and military resources over the past decade to ensure Iraq emerged from U.S. war as a strategic partner for the Islamic Republic and a strong Shiite-led state. The so-called Shiite crescentstretching from Iran to Iraq, Lebanon and Syriawas forged largely as a result of this effort.
Two Guards' units, dispatched from Iran's western border provinces on Wednesday, were tasked with protecting Baghdad and the holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf, these security sources said.
Read more: http://online.wsj.com/articles/iran-deploys-forces-to-fight-al-qaeda-inspired-militants-in-iraq-iranian-security-sources-1402592470
lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)Amonester
(11,541 posts)No need to Bomb Bomb Bomb anyone...
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)Iranian ground forces and US air support? On the same side? What has the world come to?
max shimba
(13 posts)President Barack Obama said on Thursday the United States will "not rule anything out" with regard to the situation in Iraq, but that it will need more help.
Amonester
(11,541 posts)"taking a nap" on Iraq...
No need to say or do anything else...
Amonester
(11,541 posts)roamer65
(36,747 posts)It's an escalating proxy war for both, so we should stay the heck outta it.
JimDandy
(7,318 posts)roamer65
(36,747 posts)Will the Iranians be content to occupy and protect southeastern Shi'a Iraq, or will they push further north and west and up into Syria to link up with Assad's government forces? What will Turkey do? Saudi Arabia?