Iran, a new ally in the War on Terror?

2014-06-13T22:07:19-04:00

I have seen several articles about this. This really seems like a paradigm shift to me. Iran sees the bad in ISIS and Al Qaeda just as Saddam did. They know that if Iraq falls they may be next. Whether we like it or not both Iran and the US have a vested interest in this conflict.

What do you think may result in such a triad of US-Iraq-Iran teaming up to take on ISIS?

I am really unsure what may result on this as Iran may turn into an ally in the GWOT but still be a foe.

Iran offers to work with the US to stop ISIS from overrunning Baghdad

Asked on Thursday about Iranian comments, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: 'Clearly, we've encouraged them in many cases to play a constructive role.'

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jun 13 at 2014 10:16 PM

2014-06-13T22:16:24-04:00

Politics does make for some strange bedfellows. always does and always will also over time our relationships with all countries change. I don't ever believe Iran will get warm and fuzzy over us but I can see occasionally when their and our goals are the same. I see this though as very similar to what when on during the cold war. US and USSR couldn't fight directly so we fought through third party countries. Same thing is going on here but instead of Political this is more about Theology Saudi Arabian Sunni based Faith against Iran/Iraq Shia based Faith. Very similar to the Protestant Reformation Wars in Europe 1/2 a millennium ago.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 13 at 2014 11:01 PM

2014-06-13T23:01:12-04:00

The enemy of my enemy....

Response by SSG Mike Angelo made Jun 30 at 2014 5:01 AM

2014-06-30T05:01:14-04:00

Hi 1Lt Eric,

If there is a vested interest between the people of Iran and the American people, then I would like to see it up close and personal.

Vote on it by both peoples of Iran and America.

What do I think? I am thinking of capacity building; building relationships.

So far, I see a virtual US Embassy online for Iranian-American people. This website promotes the electronic dialog between the peoples of both countries. It is a US Dept of State website and enterprise. This is good.

What do I think may result in such a triad of US-Iraq-Iran teaming up to take on ISIS?

The US Embassy in Tehran would probably be physically re-established.
Iranian Ambassador to the UN would probably be granted a visa to the US.

The electronic curtain of technology would be lifted.

Iranians would see and interact with the world online.

Retrieved from website: http://iran.usembassy.gov/about-us.html

About Us | Tehran, Iran - Virtual Embassy of the United States

The events of 1979 are well-known: the Islamic Revolution, the storming of the U.S. mission and the taking of U.S. diplomats as hostages have all been recounted on film and in print. While the world knows that the United States lost an Embassy in Iran, in fact, we lost more: we were deprived of a relationship with the Iranian people, access to Iranian society, and thousands of daily interactions between American and Iranian citizens....

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Jun 30 at 2014 3:48 PM

2014-06-30T15:48:01-04:00

No. Perhaps co-belligerents with temporary common cause. Maybe. Conceivably, I guess.

Allies implies a shared and compatible long-term vision.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2014 3:54 PM

2014-06-30T15:54:44-04:00

I grow ever more leery when thinking of our "alphabet agencies" dealings and our penchant for poor foreign policy decisions... How much blood and money is this going to cost us?

I also doubt Iranian interest is as simple as "just helping out".

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2015 3:28 PM

2015-02-26T15:28:18-05:00

I would really like to see if we could moderate Iran and help them to be a more open government through trade and security cooperation the same way we did in China. Had we not overthrown the democratically elected president and installed the Shah of Iran in his place, Iran might be as secular as Turkey is today.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2015 5:12 PM

2015-02-26T17:12:51-05:00

Maybe, CPT Private RallyPoint Member, but look at what I saw when I first saw your post. Allies? Maybe ... Maybe not.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2015 9:04 PM

2015-02-26T21:04:43-05:00

Beware of the Trojan horse! I don't believe ISIS just popped from nowhere one day. This is a well-organized terrorist group that has been nurtured in Irak, Syria, Turkey and maybe Iran for years. If we know what the Hezbollah thinks about ISIS, then we will probably know what Iran's angles are.

Response by SSG Rob Cline made Mar 3 at 2015 9:52 AM

2015-03-03T09:52:50-05:00

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/03/02/iraq-operation-tikrit/24246965/

I think we just found out...
We had some theories when I was in Iraq in '03 - '04. After al Sadr took off to Iran for asylum, the guys I worked with all agreed that he was forging bonds within the Iranian regime to be able to assist him and his forces, the Mahdi Army, upon his return to Iraq. With his new-found relations, he would make a power grab for the Presidency of Iraq. Once in control, Iraq and Iran would become a United Islamic Nation (or something along those lines). Far-fetched, maybe. Then again, maybe not.
The start of it all: The Coalition went ahead and got al Sadr into Parliament upon his return.
Granted, this was during a time when the Government was more concerned about how the world 'perceived' the US Forces and our actions. Our hands were tied with updated ROE and less and less use of force. Initially, we had the green light to engage anyone with a green armband (that signified allegiance to al Sadr). That lasted a hot minute. It got to the point where we were ordered not to fire 'Unless fired upon'. So much for protection from imminent threat.
Since our hands were tied, al Sadr's militia became a powerhouse (so to speak) within Baghdad and some of the surrounding areas. It was not a good time to be operating within Baghdad. RTE Irish was a bloody gauntlet; IEDs and roadside ambushes were a daily (sometimes multiple attacks within hours of each other, at the same spot!) occurrence, and all the time we would see the green armband on the 'witnesses' of the attacks. And all the while, all we could do was watch. So now that Iran is willing to assist the Iraqi Forces, what will we see next? Small Iranian outposts on Iraqi soil? Maybe a Joint Iranian/ Iraqi Task Force? Only time will tell.