Former American diplomat Ryan Crocker warns that Iran is “elevating their proxy wars” in the Middle East with the goal of expanding its influence “in the post-Islamic State Middle East.”
Also, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, repeated in a tweet that Israel “won’t be around in 25 years!”
The Iranian expansion is worrying. Researchers state that “the majority of the Iranian-backed militias and proxies “have one thing in common, which is to promote the Islamic Republic’s power and promote its revolutionary ideology.”
As Crocker points out: “it’s important to know your adversary’s strategies and why.” Yet rather than learn from the most oppressive fascists of history, Western leaders have been willfully blind. They should recall that history has proven “vengeful toward the ignorant,” while the Iranians are working hard to fulfill their dream of a reborn Persian Empire. Its proxies are operational globally, and Barack Obama, of course, provided a big boost to Iranian ambitions when he signed the Iranian nuclear deal and sent pallets of cash to Tehran.
The Iranian embassy in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, was shut down under the previous Harper government after fifth-column operations and espionage activity were discovered; the Trudeau government, however, aims to reopen the embassy.
Crocker rightly asks of post-Obama America:
“Are we going to lead in the world or are we going to step back and let the world look out for itself? If it’s going to be the latter, we should have some very serious public discussions about that.”
“Iran reaches new stage in proxy wars in Iraq, Syria”, by Carlo Munoz, Washington Times, February 28, 2018:
Iranian military leaders are elevating their proxy wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen to a new and dangerous stage, funneling more money, weapons and advisers to Shia militias in those nations in an attempt to further cement Tehran’s growing influence in the post-Islamic State Middle East, a former high level American diplomat in the region said Wednesday.
Iran has successfully pressed the initiative in Iraq via the Shia-majority Popular Mobilization Units, whose role in the counter-IS fight swayed Iraqi public opinion in their favor, said Ryan Crocker, who served as Ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Kuwait, Lebanon and Pakistan during and after his 37-year tenure with the State Department.
Similarly, Mr. Crocker said that Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters battling anti-Assad regime forces in Syria have effectively opened the door for Tehran to forge a long-sought land bridge that could militarily connect the Iranian homeland all the way to Lebanon.
Without question the Iranians are now poised to expand on their gains through the establishment of a de facto proxy army in across the Middle East, he said, adding that “it’s important to know your adversary’s strategies and why.”…
“What we’re seeing right now is phase two or phase three of Iran’s strategy in Iraq and Syria,” the former diplomat said. “Why settle for one Hezbollah when you can have many?”………
mortimer says
To take out Iran would require a unified international response that would include China and Russia. Is such a unified response possible?
R Russell says
Russia announced yesterday that it has a new range of nuclear weapons which all defences cannot intercept. Russia said it would retaliate if Russia or any of her allies were the subject of a nuclear attack.
Since Iran is a Russian ally ……..
CRUSADER says
7 Deadly Scenarios: A Military Futurist Explores War….
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6040760-7-deadly-scenarios
What if a pandemic swept the world and our health care and borders collapsed? What if Iran developed a nuclear bomb and attacked Israel? Author Krepinevich explores these possibilities and more to jump start the conversation of what our military should be preparing for in the next ten years. Why I started this book: I put myself …
R Russell says
I’ve read another book about the Middle East and how a number of wars will take place. One of these wars will be a nuclear one and even though it was written centuries ago, it accurately describes up to date clean up protocol.
In fact it talks of an alliance of several countries which will form part of a greater number which will all rise up against Israel. Russia, Iran and Syria are specifically mentioned, but under their ancient names. It’s an old Book, in 2 parts, completed about 2000 years ago. It has been a long term best seller. I’ll let you guess its name!
CRUSADER says
“7 Deadly Scenarios: A Military Futurist Explores War….”
is a book that doesn’t proclaim there will be wars, just what the scenarios suggest will be the factors (and COSTS) in cases of such conflicts occurring in regions of heavy concern.
All this in terms of today’s figuring.
Cost of Iraq and Afghanistan has added enormous debt to our continued blooming debt….mushrooming far out of proportion we can handle!
gravenimage says
China and Russia are both enabling Iran.
Jacqueline says
Mortimer, I think you are off-base on this one. Russia is ALLIED with Iran and Syria. Russia has at least one submarine with ballistic capabilities cruising in the Mediterranean Sea today. It is based on Syria’s coast with a 49 year lease from Bashar al Asaad. I think we are in the midst of a new “cold war”.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Yes, with the fall of evil Isis being sponsored by evil united states and fascist evil zionist state of Israel to fight proxy war, the hegemony of evil united states over the middleast has ended. It Will be waste of American taxpayer’s money to continue keeping American forces there.
Buraq says
@ Ibe itace muhamed
Hi habibi! Maybe you can answer my question which arises from your post. If The US and Israel sponsored ISIS, how was ISIS defeated, and why did the US drop bombs on their own proteges? I’m just curious to see how your twisted logic works.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Buraq, evil ISIS was defeated by combined Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Iraqi and Hezbullah forces, after evil united states has watching while IsIs has been committing atrocities. Later combardment by evil united states forces are mere deceptions.
R Russell says
Ibrahim
The Bible tells us, a kingdom divided against itself will fall.
Thus if ISIS is according to you, Israeli and US collaborators, then Islam is divided. You had better get out before Islam falls. If you get out now by giving your allegiance to the Bible Jesus, you wont have to wait till it is too late. If you wait till the Bible Jesus returns, it will be too late. You will have lost your opportunity.
gravenimage says
It was largely the US that took out ISIS.
Hearing Ibrahim itace muhammed babble about how ISIS is American and Israeli is ludicrous. The thing is that this Mohammedan has affirmed that all of their actions were perfectly Islamic–he also says that Muslims can rape, enslave, and murder infidels, and impose brutal Shari’ah law.
It just seems he wants his own gang to run the Caliphate…
Jacqueline says
gravenimage, Ibrahim itace mushmmed represents the opinion of about 1 million Muslims around the world who would love to immigrate to the West and begin shaping it into a Muslim caliphate.
CRUSADER says
Mr Irritates:
Happy “Vaffanculo Day” !!!
Ann Marie says
LOL You tell him!
CRUSADER says
So, apparently there are a number of persons who are concerned over Iran’s press for power and move toward hegemony in the region, including devastating Israel. But for some reason, as seen in previous posting about Iran, quite a few JW readers/commentators didn’t seem to think there was much reason to fear an aggressive Iran….because it has been deemed that Israel will stand, and Iran will be liberated by its youthful generation after the old men are retired or deep-sixed.
Hmmmmm. Which is it to be?
gravenimage says
I certainly consider Iran a threat.
I wish young Iranians *would* take out the Mullahs–but apart from a few brave protestors, I don’t see much liklihood of this happening.
Westman says
Iran has already established a military base in Syria to have direct access to attack Israel and make detection more difficult.
Iran has two major goals: To be the government that destroys Israel and to take over Mecca. Driving out the Jews will give them leadership claims (they think), so it is the first goal on the list.
Israel will be forced to fight Iran in Syria in 2018 before Tehran has too much organized power and resources within Syria.
Ray Jarman says
For those who do not know who Ryan Crocker is; he was the best ambassador to Iraq and maybe the best ambassador since Patrick Moynihan. I worked under him in Iraq and after the disastrous ambassadorship of Zalmay Khalilzad who was also completely inept as the US envoy to the Loya Jirga in 2002 and his return to Afghanistan proved disastrous. A complete sharia compliant constitution was enacted in Afghanistan with no objections from Khalilzad as the US special envoy to the convention. Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus had turned the war in Iraq around and all Obumer had to do was leave them with the resources necessary to complete the mission, no islamic state and possibly no major Syrian internecine.
Ambassador Crocker’s warning of Tehran’s military expansion should be taken seriously as he has been on the ground in the war zones with his wife Christine. The Middle East would not be in the state that it is had Obumer retained and heeded the warnings of ambassadors like Ambassador Crocker and Ambassador Skip Gnehm, the world would be much safer now.
CRUSADER says
So…is Israel toast? Or will the younger generation make the oldsters in Iran listen to reason?
gravenimage says
Thanks for the information, Ray.
CRUSADER, even if the Mullahs stay in power–as, sadly, I think likely–I would not count Israel out yet.
gravenimage says
Iran expanding proxy wars throughout Middle East after the fall of the Islamic State
……………………
Even though I could not be happier at ISIS losing their territory, I feared this would happen.
God, I hate Islam.
CRUSADER says
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Iran needed to address international concerns over its ballistic missile programme or it risked new sanctions.
“There are programmes for missiles that can travel several thousand kilometres, which are not compatible with UN Security Council resolutions and which exceed the needs of defending Iran’s borders,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper.
“If not tackled head on, this country risks new sanctions,” he added.
The foreign ministry said in a statement that France also wants Iran to start contributing in a “positive” manner to resolving the crises in the Middle East.
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“In this regard, the crisis in Syria and the humanitarian situation there will particularly be discussed, along with other regional issues where Iran is involved (such as Yemen, Libya and Iraq),” the ministry said.
The comments came the same day that Iran’s armed forces spokesman said there could be no talks on the country’s missile programme without the West’s destruction of its own nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.
“The condition for negotiations on Iran’s missiles is the destruction of America’s and Europe’s nuclear weapons and long-range missiles,” Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri told the official IRNA news agency.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to tear up a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers unless more is done to curb Iran’s missile programme. European governments have been scrambling to appease Trump and keep the deal intact.
Le Drian said last month that Iran’s missile programme and involvement in regional conflicts needed to be addressed if Iran “wants to return to the family of nations”.
Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, criticised Le Drian’s position on Saturday, just two days before they are expected to meet.
“Iran’s defence programme is not the concern of other countries such as France, that they should come and tell us what missiles we can have. Do we tell France how it should defend itself?” he told the semi-official ISNA news agency.
“If Le Drian’s visit is aimed at reinforcing our relations, he would do well to avoid negative positions,” Velayati added.
(– France24 News)
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
R Russel, Isis is too insignificant division. It constitutes less than .001% of muslim population and It is being decimated. so, your wishful thinking of muslims killing themselves is diminishing.
R Russell says
Ibrahim.
You are either ignoring what ISIS did or you are using taqiyya. ISIS killed the shiites. The history of Islam right from the very beginning shows one group of Muslims killing others who disagreed with them.
Islam has been divided against itself from the start. It is a kingdom divided against itself. The Bible Jesus loves you. Ask him to reveal his love to you.
AP says
All of this you can blame on traitors, john kerry and obama
Ray Jarman says
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++1
Gjallarhornet says
Shouldn’t the Ayatolah be banned from twitter now? Or does such bans only apply to us when we write something outside the common orthodoxy? If YOU write ‘islam is maybe not good’, your’e out, but if the Ayatolah writes he is going to nuke Israel, and means it, he is home safe.
Go figure.