It seems like the US government is trying to justify an attack on Iran by claiming that Iran is playing a "negative role in Iraq". Some news indicate that the Russian and Saudi governments are expecting a U.S. attack on Iran very soon. In addition, the CIA Director Michael Hayden said yesterday that he believes Iran is still pursuing a nuclear weapon.
While the majority of Iraqis agree that Iran is playing a negative role in Iraq, they'll disagree with the US government on defining this role. The US claims that Iran is supporting some militias and extremists by smuggling arms to them, so a good way to stop the "insurgency" and "terrorism" according to this theory is to attack the source of evil: Iran. Iraqis, on the other hand, see the Iranian negative role through the Iranian-backed parties that happen to be THE SAME PARTIES allied with the US.
The Supreme Council, an Iranian party created by Ayatollah Khomeini in the early 80s, and Al-Dawa party, an Iraqi party that was hosted by the Iranian government for the 20 years prior to 2003, are the two of the 5 parties ruling Iraq now. They are the only 2 Shiite parties allied with the US government, and the 2 parties responsible of most of the anti-Sunni sectarian cleansing in Iraq.
So according to how things are on the ground, the US government cannot in anyway claim that an attack on Iran will end violence in Iraq, because it is clear that if the US wanted to end the Iranian influence in Iraq they don't have to bomb Tehran, they just have to stop funding, supporting, and protecting Iran's allies in Iraq!
I read many stupid analysis about how Iraq and the Qoooooods brigades played a role in stopping Al-Mahdi army. This crap is just meant to justify a new illegal war with Iran. Al-Sadr is in no way an Iranian puppet who can be controlled by someone in Tehran, he is just another Iraqi nationalist who is against the Iranian, US, UK, and Alqaeda interfering in Iraq's domestic politics. Saying that Al-Mahdi army is allied with Iran because it's using Iranian weapons, is like saying Al-Mahdi army is allied with Russia because they have ak-47s.
One of our friends, an Iranian, had dinner with us last night. She was feeling really scared that the US will bomb Iran soon. She made me feel like I'm reliving the few months before the U.S. attack on Iraq in 1991.
I hope Bush and Cheney won't attack Iran. I hope they are that stupid...
but I know they can do it.
