I have no intimate knowledge of Iran’s involvement in Lebanon, but I can definitely confirm this information:
Iran is fighting two proxy wars, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told servicemembers here Aug. 13.Marine Gen. Peter Pace told servicemembers gathered at the camp chapel that Iran is “fighting a proxy war against Israel by supporting Hezbollah†in Lebanon. Iran also is fighting a proxy war against Iraq and the United States by supporting elements inside Iraq.
Every Iraqi I have talked with says the same thing about Iran. They are causing most of the trouble in Iraq, I am told. In fact, several Iraqis have told me that all we need to do to calm the situation in Baghdad is seal the border with Iran and expel Iranians. Of course, that’s not a simple task. Iraq and Iran have an intimate love/hate relationship and a recent war in their past. Many of Iraq’s current politicans spent a decade or more hiding in Iran to avoid execution at the hands of Saddam’s regime. All of this is tied into the larger conflict between Sunnis and Shias. Iraq and Iran are the two largest Islamic nations with a majority population of Shia. In Iraq under Saddam, Shias were brutally repressed. Now that the repression is over, the backlash must be dealt with.
Iran is playing a dangerous game by inciting Shia against Sunni and everyone against the Coalition. How the game will end remains to be seen. Every day, people die because of the game Iran insists on playing. The Coalition would like to leave. Most Iraqis would like us to leave as well. The time to consider leaving is not right, nor is that time near.