Revisiting Iran in Iraq

Several stories appeared last week on the declassified reports of Iranian-influenced leaders who were interrogated by the US during the Iraq War.  Two of these folks are now prominent in Iraqi political circles, Qais al-Khazali and Moqtada al-Sadr.  They are both trying to outdo each other for political position.

Before we start an outcry about this kind of story, try to remember that the leaders of quite a few countries started as rebels and some spent time in jail before gaining political position.  In this case, their loyalty is to Iran, and we might not want to forget that either.

I had read these reports of Iran's influence on these leaders years ago.  Lots of Congressmen and military leaders knew where they got their money and why they were supporting Iran in killing US servicemen and women.  Several foreign intelligence services knew just as much as the US did.  As they gathered political support and moved up in their food chains, I wondered why nobody killed them, or the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi.  Being a terrorist leader is a dangerous profession.  Part of it might be luck, not being at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Part of it might be good advice from strangers on where not to be at any particular time.  Part of it is just moving around to not become a fixed target.  The process of elimination teaches them what not to do if they want to stay alive.

But, in the end, it is often a matter of dealing with a devil you know, rather than one that you never heard of.  Yes, these guys were terrorists to some of us, but they are not in charge of the government.  They are parts of a coalition which probably represents the Iraqi people who survived a long stream of wars with neighbors and each other.  Better them that some unknown.