Iran more of a threat than ISIS/L

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 10:30:31 -0400

So, the guy who was "in the know" for so many years, & then unceremoniously ousted because he did not agree with the direction that his bosses wanted him to go, has come out stating what many of us here on RP have hinted at: Iran is a greater threat to the world than ISIS/L.

What do you think?

Petraeus: Iran more of a threat than ISIL

The Iranian regime “is ultimately part of the problem, not the solution” to the region’s issues, Petraeus said.

Response by PO1 Dustin Adams made Mar 20 at 2015 1:02 PM

PO1 Dustin Adams — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:02:37 -0400

In case you missed it. The Administration has taken Iran off the list as a state sponsor of terrorism and Hezbollah off the list as a terrorist group.

Meanwhile DoD is reporting that Iran will probably have ICBM capability sometime this year, and that Iran and North Korea are the biggest cyber threats.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Mar 20 at 2015 1:06 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:06:14 -0400

I agree with the GEN.

ISIS has no long term support structure and without a state they only obtain what they can force or steal from others. In the long run they will likely burn themselves out and have also pissed off a great deal of people.

Iran has proved for decades that they hate the western way of life and wish to wipe us out. Even with a leader claiming otherwise currently, the long term feelings do create a leery approach.

Response by SGT James Elphick made Mar 20 at 2015 1:19 PM

SGT James Elphick — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:19:17 -0400

I think the title of the article is misleading. If Iran gains the advantage in Iraq then they can likely dominate the political scene there and thus have a puppet state of sorts. However, I think ISIS/L are the larger threat globally. This has to do with the fact that Iran has everything to lose and ISIS/L really has nothing to lose. ISIS/L can operate in a virtually unlimited fashion because they are beholden to no one and nothing but their ideology which allows them to conduct vicious and brutal attacks and reprisals. The only thing they really have to lose is their "caliphate" that they have established and the territory it is on. However, Iran is a nation-state and with that come inherent powers, responsibilities, and liabilities. Iran tried to flex it's might against the US during Operation Praying Mantis in the Straights of Hormuz and got annihilated. I assume that Iranian commanders are not so foolish as to think they can simply attack Israel or any Western nation and expect to survive the ordeal. So while they may develop a Nuke and the means to deliver it, especially to Israel, they have to know that doing so would mean their own destruction. For ISIS this would not be a problem, as I said they are guided by a flawed ideology. Iran does not have that luxury. If their goal truly is the spread of Islam or at the very least the preservation of their Islamic Republic then they are relegated to their moves in Iraq.

So back to the article, in the long-term Iran is likely the greater threat in Iraq in that we could lose clout with the nation we spent a decade fighting in. ISIS, when we finally decide to do something about it, will be a blip in history and will be wiped off the map. However, currently ISIS is the greater threat due to their unconstrained nature.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Mar 20 at 2015 1:23 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:23:36 -0400

This article provides a little more detail about the General's comments:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/03/20/petraeus-the-islamic-state-isnt-our-biggest-problem-in-iraq/?hpid=z1

Petraeus: The Islamic State isn’t our biggest problem in Iraq

In his most expansive comments yet on the latest crisis in Iraq and Syria, Petraeus offering his insights on Iraq and the Islamic State.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Mar 20 at 2015 1:26 PM

COL Jon Thompson — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:26:20 -0400

Yes Iran is a bigger threat, even without a nuclear weapon. I hate to see what will happen when they get one which it increasingly looks like they will. I will also say this about Petraus, he was ousted because he could not keep his pants zipped. While politics was involved, he brought it on himself.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2015 1:52 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:52:33 -0400

Great conversation! Thanks for participating:

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2015 6:20 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 18:20:58 -0400

I think he is right. One day I was sitting down with another soldier an we were discussing the situation in the middle east. He made a comment that stuck with. What if we let ISIS happen? It is dragging Iran into a war they didn't plan on and now they have to do as much as they can to help Syria and Iraq out. They are allies and are about to fall. We knew what ISIS would do. They are wreaking havoc and are turning neutral countries into a front in GWOT, like Jordan and Turkey. They are reaching into many other countries around the world and know we can go there and attack them now.

We let wars happen in the past. Vietnam was attempting to prevent China push of communism, Afghan was there to hurt the Russians, and we supported Iraq when they were fighting Iran. Now we know that ISIS isn't really a threat to our way of live. They are a serious threat to Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2015 9:13 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 21:13:54 -0400

I believe they are. I don't believe either should be underestimated or ignored. The chances of ISIS burning itself out, like a parasite that eventually kills it's host, is very, very likely. The problem is, those parasites spread. They jump to new hosts through various vectors. And that reality exists here as well.
Why is Iran more of an overall threat? Simply because of their ability to sucker in the world and then blindside us. ISIS is the repeated jab setting up the haymaker. Obviously there are other factors... Educated military leadership, scientists and funding to fuel nuclear war stockpiles, and and equal hate for western culture and religious variety.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2015 5:35 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 05:35:52 -0400

we have a president that's making secret deals with Iran he's not going through Congress to get permission he's doing it on his own and he's not letting the public know what's in the deal I think he's just as dangerous as Iran and Isis but the public doesn't know it yet he's ally with with Iran and snapping his nose at our true ally in the Middle East Israel it makes me wonder whose side is he on this is a real hot button for me I love my country and I don't want nothing to happen to it

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2015 6:46 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 06:46:22 -0400

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member I think that you don't understand why he was ousted. He had an affair. That led to an uncomfortable situation within the CIA, Tampa, all over. Oh, and he gave classified information to his lover. This had nothing to do with politics.

However, he's right. But, so what? We like to topple easy targets (Iraq, Afghanistan). Operation Southern Watch and Northern Watch ensured that Iraq had no air assets to speak of and no ADA. Afghanistan, well, it's Afghanistan. Iran has a sophisticated ADA network as well as a comprehensive network of connections with militias and organizations throughout the ME. We may know that they are the real threat, but there isn't much we are going to do to mitigate that threat outside of sanctions.

Response by COL Steph Browne made Mar 21 at 2015 7:46 AM

COL Steph Browne — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 07:46:12 -0400

He may be right about Iran, but your premise that he was ousted because he disagreed with his bosses is a false premise. He left because he got caught in an affair that compromised his position and, as we now know, he inappropriately divulged classified information.

Response by TSgt John Temblador, PI, CIPA made Nov 21 at 2015 1:33 PM

TSgt John Temblador, PI, CIPA — Sat, 21 Nov 2015 13:33:30 -0500

https://youtu.be/QXIcgUVVnZU

Fla. Prof Says Muslims 'Procreate Like Mushrooms After the Rain,' 'The Problem is Islam'

CAIR-FL Seeks Review of UCF Courses Taught by Anti-Islam Prof (TAMPA, FL, 6/17/13) - The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-F...

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 23 at 2015 1:08 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 01:08:23 -0500

I think that ISIL and Iran are equally as dangerous. Iran support Hamas and the Hutis of Yemen. Iran is lying to us on arms control. Their Ayatollah told their graduating class of officers they will not allow inspections of military facilities. Global Warming is on the minds of leaders but maybe we will have global cooling if there is dust after a nuclear exchange between Israel and Iran on its doomsday thinking similiar to ISIL wanting to bring back Mohammed PBUH by doing the unthinkable in the Western View.