Iraq: A satellite state of Iran?
How much influence does Iran wield in Iraq? This question has long been a matter of debate and in light of the US troop withdrawal has become all the more relevant, especially with rumors of Iranian plans to have Mahmud Shahrudi, who is an Iraqi-born member of Iran's Guardian Council and advocates clerical involvement in government, succeed the quietist Ali al-Sistani in Najaf.
Unfortunately, partisan politics on the left and right have precluded serious analysis on the subject.
Showing posts with label Consequences Of US Pullout From Iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Consequences Of US Pullout From Iraq. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Middle East Forum: Iraq: A satellite state of Iran?
The following by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi is reposted with permission:
Monday, January 16, 2012
Missing Peace: Iraq nine years after operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’: Back to square one?
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Bomb attack in Nassiriya, 300 km southeast of Baghdad January 5, foto Reuters
Jerusalem, January 16, 2012
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Sharon Shaked and Yochanan Visser
This Missing Peace report deals with the situation in Iraq after the pull out of the US army in December last year.
Following the departure of the American army sectarian violence has rapidly increased. Since the beginning of January 2012, 257 civilians have died in terrorist attacks, Iran has stepped up its involvement in Iraq’s internal politics and political turmoil has ensued, bringing the country to the brink of a civil war.
End of US mission
Since its beginning in 2003 the intervention has cost the lives of 4,487 American soldiers, another 32,226 were wounded in action and approximately one hundred thousand Iraqis died in the ensuing fighting and terror campaign.
As soon as the US troops left it became clear just how messy and sectarian Iraqi politics are.
Right after the withdrawal sectarian political tensions boiled over and Iraq became even more unstable than it already was.
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