ISIS Turns on Iran in Iraq

When viewed from Western perspective, it could be said that ISIS turning against Iran's influence in Iraq is a good thing because Iran is seeking the ultimate weapon, a nuclear bomb. They already have missiles and a new one was just discovered never before seen at their Space Center near Tehran. Reports from Syria also indicate that Iran is using the chaotic situation to build an underground nuclear facility within Syria near the Iraqi border. This has been slowly happening for over a year.

ISIS hates anyone who does subscribe to their interpretation of Islam, so this includes Iranians who are Shiite, much like in Iraq. But Iraq has a large Sunni and Kurd population making it complicated. It is no surprise that Iraq has requested some help from the Iranian military, just as they want the Americans. Iran's benefit is that it can root in Iraqi society through Shiites, who are the majority, becoming friends and allies. This allows Iran to extend its influence in Iraq to Syria. Two battalions of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are reported to be operating in Iraq to combat the offensive campaign being waged by the Islamic State of Iraq and has now mobilized up to 20,000 Iraqi militiamen for Iraq.

ISIS is as much threat to the West as it is to Iran. ISIS is not a friend of Iran. Since October, 2014, ISIS forces have been able to wipe out 555 Iranian officers in the four months operating in Iraq with Iraqi consent. These are leaders of Iranian Revolutionary Guard formations, small in nature, to destroy ISIS. Of these killed, up to three commanding generals have been killed creating a morale issue with Iranian troops. ISIS infiltrates the Iranian units using Iranian recruits for money that provide movement details and schedules of Iranian commanders. When the time is right, ISIS snipers assassinate the military leaders.

The Iranian and Iraqi friendship is suspect by Israel, which is very uneasy with it. They fear Iran's help means growing influence in Iraq and with the government that is mostly Shiite. Iraq and Iran could easily become allies, if they are not already and ISIS provides the reason for it. One can easily see why Israel would become paranoid over this. Iran could use its regional power to control Iraq, as it has done in Syria. In the meantime, ISIS is creating strange allies like America and Iran.