Useful Fools

The rise of a democracy in an adjoining mostly Shi’ite country is a terrible threat to the unpopular ruling Ayatollahs of Iran. They are already trying to keep down a restive population which hates them and wants freedom.

Now they must subvert the coalition occupation of Iraq and thwart our goals of creating a democratic society. We can expect recruitment and radicalization of Shi’ites, terrorist attacks against coalition troops, guerrilla warfare against the coalition and later Iraqi forces, and provocations designed to turn the Shi’ite populace against the coalition.

Islamofascist clerics will try to hijack the political future of the Shi’ites. They have hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shi’ite exiles who will return to Iraq. Many of these are now active agents of Iranian intelligence. Iran also has a highly competent intelligence service, and access to cooperative suicide terrorists. All in all, it has substantial resources for waging asymmetric warfare against the coalition, moderate Shi’ites, and all other ethnic groups in Iraq.

Already, there have been ominous events (Read On)…

A number of Iranian and Iranian based fighters have been captured by coalition forces. A moderate Shia cleric, the highest ranking in Iraq, was assassinated upon his arrival. Skirmishes have been fought by coalition forces near the Iranian border.

Yesterday, enemy forces attacked and torched an enormous ammunition dump in a Shi’ite neighborhood. The resulting explosions destroyed several houses and killed and injured a number of Iraqi’s. This is the sort of operation to be expected from Iran. It set the populace against the Americans who were maintaining the ammunition dump (pending disposal). It wounded, and could have killed an American soldier.

The most obvious presence of Iran can be seen in the rapid and professional politicization of Iranian Shi’ites. Even before the combat phase was over, demonstrations featuring signs in both Arabic and English were common. They were staged exactly in front of the TV cameras (at the Palestine Hotel) and were coordinated from Baghdad south to Basra.

Radical anti-Western Islamofascist clerics have suddenly popped up throughout the Shi’ite population, and they are fanning the flames of resentment against the coalition.

It is important to recognize that the Shia Muslim theology forbids theocracies, such as the one in Iran. And yet, in Iraq, the clerics are leading the demonstrations and negotiating on behalf of “their” people. This is the act of religious leaders planning a theocracy, not those who would stay out of government. This is the result of Iranian influence and direct participation by Iranian intelligence agents.

Iraq is going to be a problem for some time to come. It may be necessary to more directly cause regime change in Iran if their efforts are too successful. Of course, such an outcome is a goal in any case and hopefully covert efforts are in process, but the Iraqi situation may force the coalition to act more swiftly and overtly.