Iran joined militias in battle for Basra - Times Online
IRANIAN forces were involved in the recent battle for Basra, General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, is expected to tell Congress this week.
Military and intelligence sources believe Iranians were operating at a tactical command level with the Shi'ite militias fighting Iraqi security forces; some were directing operations on the ground, they think.
Petraeus intends to use the evidence of Iranian involvement to argue against any reductions in US forces.
Dr Daniel Goure, a defence analyst at the Lexington Institute in Virginia, said: "There is no question that Petraeus will be tough on Iran. It is one thing to withdraw troops when there is purely sectarian fighting but it is another thing if it leaves the Iranians to move in."
I don’t understand. I’ve been told over and over again by Leftist antiwarriors and Babbling Bushbots that Iran is no threat to Iraq, and even if it had been, the Surge has eliminated any remnants of it.
I’m still waiting to see how much Iranian input went to the Iranian-founded Badr Brigades which are loosely masquerading as the Iraqi government “security forces,” myself.
