Iran's Influence on Iraq
CNN reports:
Of course, if America adopts the Bush/Cheney/McCain plan and attacks Iran, there won't be a nation around that's stable and strong enough to keep loonies like Al-Sadr running around and trying to keep his house in order. And then there's also the chance that bin Laden Inc. will set up an office in Iran (Al-Qaeda in Iran: coming soon to a neo-con talking point near you!) making that country as FUBAR'd as Iraq is now.
I know this sounds crazy, but maybe the US should actually be working with Iran to clean up the Iraq mess. Sure, Iran will want something in return, but as long as that something isn't "oil," "weapons" or "slaves," we should be willing to deal.
The fighting among Shiite militias and government troops in Basra is a glimpse of Iraq's future, and pivotal cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is in deep trouble, according to two CNN correspondents and a CNN military analyst.
The fiery religious leader has a loyal following in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood and other enclaves thanks to generous social programs, but his political movement, his Mehdi Army militia and the cease-fire al-Sadr recently extended are no match for Iranian intrigue, according to CNN's experts.
"Al-Sadr is involved in a very complicated relationship with the Iranians," said CNN Baghdad correspondent Michael Ware. "The Iranians do provide funding and support for his militia, yet at the same time they're trying to rein him in and get him to adopt a certain political agenda, which from time to time he resists."
Ware said Iran wants to use al-Sadr's populist base to advance its agenda in Iraq. "However, they don't want to see him get too big for his boots or to rise to a position where they can no longer have sway over him."
Iran has weakened al-Sadr by encouraging dissension within his Mehdi Army and backing hardliners -- known as the Special Groups -- who break away and keep up the fight against the U.S. occupation, Ware said.
"Iran's very good at putting pressure on you, forcing you to split, and anything that squeezes out the side, Iran picks up and turns into hardline factions," Ware said. "That's exactly what's happened to Muqtada. He's had purge after purge after purge of belligerent commanders, and they've all been swept up by Iran."
Of course, if America adopts the Bush/Cheney/McCain plan and attacks Iran, there won't be a nation around that's stable and strong enough to keep loonies like Al-Sadr running around and trying to keep his house in order. And then there's also the chance that bin Laden Inc. will set up an office in Iran (Al-Qaeda in Iran: coming soon to a neo-con talking point near you!) making that country as FUBAR'd as Iraq is now.
I know this sounds crazy, but maybe the US should actually be working with Iran to clean up the Iraq mess. Sure, Iran will want something in return, but as long as that something isn't "oil," "weapons" or "slaves," we should be willing to deal.
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