"Is an Iranian general the most powerful man in Iraq?"

[leftchick]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/story/35146.html



Iranian Brig. Gen. Qassam Suleimani


BAGHDAD — One of the most powerful men in Iraq isn't an Iraqi government official, a militia leader, a senior cleric or a top U.S. military commander or diplomat,

He's an Iranian general, and at times he's more influential than all of them.

Brig. Gen. Qassem Suleimani commands the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, an elite paramilitary and espionage organization whose mission is to expand Iran's influence in the Middle East.

As Tehran's point man on Iraq, he funnels military and financial support to various Iraqi factions, frustrating U.S. attempts to build a pro-Western democracy on the rubble of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship.

According to Iraqi and American officials, Suleimani has ensured the elections of pro-Iranian politicians, met frequently with senior Iraqi leaders and backed Shiite elements in the Iraqi security forces that are accused of torturing and killing minority Sunni Muslims.

"Whether we like him (Suleimani) or not, whether Americans like him or not, whether Iraqis like him or not, he is the focal point of Iranian policy in Iraq," said a senior Iraqi official who asked not to be identified so he could speak freely. "The Quds Force have played it all, political, military, intelligence, economic. They are Iranian foreign policy in Iraq."

[guyanakoolaid]

1. Iran seeks to exert influence in their own back yard? Don't they know that's where our oil is?

How dare they?

:sarcasm:

Reminds me again of Chomsky's excellent recent essay, explaining that it all makes sense if you just realize (the neocon assertion that) that we as America are always right, and it is our sovereign right to be and have military anywhere in the world we want, because we are the biggest and strongest country, and therefor it is our right, period. We don't question why Iran wants to influence the area around their country, but fail to even begin to put ourselves in their shoes, to imagine an invading Asian or European army invading and taking over Canada. Just imagine it, and what the US response would be.

[leftchick]

2. I agree

the hypocrisy is mind boggling.

[jody]

3. This is an un-sourced, blatant piece of propaganda that could fuel Cheney's war with Iran. n/t

[spanone]

4. imagine russia bombed and occupied mexico city.....then threatened us continually