Does anyone remember that IRAN helped us against ISIS in Syria and Iraq?? WTF are "proxy" forces???

[sarabelle]

We are the "proxy forces" for Saudi Arabia and Israel. If you do not understand that you are part of our really serious problems.

[Lithos]

1. That was actually by accident

It was a 4-way in Syria...

Assad vs the Kurds, vs the Syrian Rebels vs Isis...

They supported Assad, we helped the Kurds and the Rebels... So, while we both attacked Isis,we also spent calories attacking each other.

[DetlefK]

2. Assad was propped up by Iran before the Russians became his benefactors.

The Middle-East is split into four power-blocs:
- Saudi-Arabia plus the small Gulf-states pressed into service
- Iran plus states like Syria bribed into service
- Egypt
- Israel

Iran helped Assad for the same reason Russia helped Assad: They want a ruler who owes them a favor. If the secularist syrian rebels had overthrown Assad, Iran would have lost their puppet and Russia would have lost access to Syria's mediterranean military-ports.

Also, Iran did not help fight against ISIS in Iraq. Again, they helped specifically the Shiites in Iraq because they wanted the Shiites to owe them a favor. Iran doesn't give a shit about Kurds or Sunnis.



Also, the US is not the proxy for either Saudi-Arabia or Israel. (Get your childish talking-points in order.) The US is fighting ISIS because
1. ISIS is their fault. Captured sunni rebels in US prison-camps in Iraq founded ISIS when they got out. (For a while Saddam Hussein's daughter tried to control them but she failed.)
2. The US can spread its imperialist control over Iraq only if Iraq is stable. As there is no hard border between Syria and Iraq, any presence of ISIS in Syria is a threat for US-interests in Iraq.
3. ISIS doesn't give a shit about Israel. They want to force the muslim world to return to the ancient days before the Umma (the spiritual community of Islam as a whole) split into denominations.

[stopdiggin]

3. we opened that door

Thanks. Concise and largely accurate. We're in dire need of some clear eyed analysis.
Particularly in this era of covfefe diplomacy and statecraft. maybe Jared can sort it out.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. I still remember the candlelight vigils held in Tehran after 9/11

Iran’s exceptional reaction to 9/11 attacks: candlelit vigils for the victims and 60k soccer fans respected a minute’s silence
https://photosiran.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/irans-exceptional-reaction-to-911-attacks-candlelit-vigils-for-the-victims-and-60k-soccer-fans-respected-a-minutes-silence-2/