Cutting off Iran’s 'road to the sea' in Syria

Jerusalem Post ^ | June 19, 2018 | Seth J. Frantzman

[SunkenCiv]

In the background of the strike stands Iran's attempt to construct a network of friendly forces stretching from Iraq through Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon. In 2016, pro-western sources in Iraq warned that Iran was building just such a conduit. In December 2017, The New Arab reported that convoys of unmarked vehicle had passed into Syria from Iraq through checkpoints manned by the Hashd al-Shaabi, the mostly Shi'ite militias that are known as Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).

These militias play a complex role, forming one of a patchwork of similar groups that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has enlisted to support, train and seed throughout the region. Along with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran also helped train PMU fighters in Syria.Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, said in April that Iran had trained 80,000 militia members in Syria.

There are thought to be some 100,000 Iraqi members of the PMU, which include groups such as the Badr Brigade and Kata'ib Hezbollah. Kata'ib Hezbollah's leader Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis is a close ally of IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, and in 2017 he even bragged that his units in Iraq were working with Lebanese Hezbollah.

Since 2017, units like Kata'ib Hezbollah, under the umbrella of the PMU, have been incorporated into the official paramilitary forces of Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi praised the militias as the "hope of Iraq and the region" in October 2017, when then-US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the militias to "go home" after the war with ISIS was complete. Instead of going home, the militias formed their own political party, called the Fatah Coalition, led by Badr's Hadi al-Amiri. Fatah came in second place in Iraq's elections, and has partnered with Muqtada al-Sadr...

[SunkenCiv]

The Three Amigos

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)

[SunkenCiv]

We live in interesting times.

[SunkenCiv]

Iran just overplayed its hand in Syria
The problem for Tehran is that it cannot risk a major conflict with Israel.
By Seth J. Frantzman
May 13, 2018
https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iran-just-overplayed-its-hand-in-Syria-556260

[SaveFerris]

Ezekiel 38 - it’s coming.

Whether the secular world believes it or not.

They will.

[saintgermaine]

The bad part is that you may be right...….

[Original Lurker]

That photo would be more complete with the CEO of Boeing next to the towel-head.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[SaveFerris]

Only because the Word of the Lord says so.

But I don’t pretend to know the day, of course. But we are definitely in the season.

[SunkenCiv]

Report: Hezbollah refuses to comply with Russian demand to leave Syria
Jerusalem Post | June 14, 2018 | Staff, Yasser Okbi/Maariv
Posted on 06/19/2018 11:19:30 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3664586/posts