Here's an interesting story regarding Iranian influence in Iraq, and perhaps it'll clear up some of the confusion among posters who don't quite understand how Iraqi politics actually work:

Does Iran control Iraq? A Quds Force general may, and Hannah Allam would know | KansasCity.com Prime Buzz

From the article:

"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."




The full article is well-worth reading. No Dorothy, in spite of what our leadership is telling us, we're no longer in Kansas and Iraq has no hope of ever becoming a western-style democracy in the next 100-years.

so hes the iranian puppet then?

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Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

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He's a general.

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I take it you didn't read the link?

And from any viewpoint, quite a general among other things.

That was an interesting read. It is kinda a shame that we cant have that guy come testify in front of Congress

Forget worrying about Al-Q in Iraq! Lets worry about Iran in Iraq! Where does this all end?
Niether one would have the influence they do now if......

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Abstinence Education at its finest:

I'm glad to see that you finally acknowledge Iran's presence, interests, and activities in Iraq.

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Why wouldn't Iran try to influence the course of the nation that has posed the biggest threat to Iran in the region, and has the holiest sites in the religion that Iran practices?
And if they can get the US to foot the bill for taking out Saddam, and then leave Iran in control of Iraq, wouldn't that be their best course of action?

After all, they have a much greater legitimate interest in the outcome than the US does.

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I always have, the difference being I've always correctly attributed it to assisting Maliki's US puppet government through the Badr Organization. This is contrary to US interests but at this point there's nothing the US can do about it after voicing and throwing all support behind Maliki's corrupt regime. al-Sadr is considered a threat to Maliki as both he and Sistani support a popular nationalist government while Maliki obviously supports alignment with Iran.

A future question is going to be Iraqi Kurd and Sunni status after US Iraqi influence declines. Iran itself has no lost love for either group including its own Iranian Kurds and the Badr Brigade (now referred to as the Badr Organization) was responsible for Iraqi Sunni/Baathist eradication after the US occupation due to hatred/revenge from the Iraq/Iran war.

Once again the US has backed the wrong horse and now we're engaged in eliminating al-Sadr, Maliki's/Iran's political opposition and the only group desiring an independent Iraq. Iran has to be laughing itself silly at our egotistical bumbling, just like the rest of the world including Al Qaeda. All parties want the US out of Iraq and we keep pouring massive resources we really can't afford into a game we can eventually only lose.

Indeed, you and I seem to agree on this analysis of Iraq.

Interesting article about the Quds general. I've seen dozens of references to him - particularly during the Basra campaign.

Could it be that despite all the talk, the U.S. government actually wants Iran's influence in Iraq to increase?

Correction. U.S. Government.

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He reports directly to the Iranian supreme council, which actually runs Iran in spite of US public delusion of the Iranian president being boss. Considering the scope of his responsibilities and the level of Iranian political control he established in Iraq in the midst of a US military governing occupation, I'd think he's a brilliant individual managed by some very astute people. I wish we had someone of that intellectual caliber possessing his operational abilities but our command structure doesn't encourage anything without full CYA protection. Bremer immediately comes to mind.

Difficult to imagine considering the US government is using every possible means to isolate and intimidate Iran. We just backed the wrong horse, as usual, with Allawi.

Rare in the annals of history has so much discretionary power been given to one so utterly and completely incompetent.

You'd probably have to go back to the old monarchies appointing 'court favorites' to field command positions for a similar example.

We've certainly had a run of incompetent court favorite appointees over the past few years.