Thursday, June 12, 2014

Iran Deploys Three Battalions Of Revolutionary Guards To Fight Sunni Militants In Iraq

Sept. 22, 2011: Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard march during a parade to commemorate the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88) in Tehran.Reuters

Iran Deploys Forces to Fight al Qaeda-Inspired Militants in Iraq -- Wall Street Journal

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Forces Helped Iraqi Troops Win Back Control of Most of Tikrit, the Sources Said.

BEIRUT—Faced with the threat of Sunni extremists eclipsing the power of Shiite-dominated Iraq, Iran sprang into action to aid its besieged Arab ally and deployed Revolutionary Guards units to Iraq, according to Iranian security sources.

At least three battalions of the Quds Forces, the elite overseas branch of the Guards, were dispatched to aid in the battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, an offshoot of al Qaeda rapidly gaining territory across Iraq, they said.

One Guards unit that was already in Iraq fought alongside the Iraqi army, offering guerrilla warfare advice and tactics and helped reclaim most of the city of Tikrit on Thursday.

Two Guards' units, dispatched from Iran's western border provinces on Wednesday, were tasked with protecting Baghdad and the holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf, these security sources said.

Read more ....

Previous Post: Iran To Assist The Iraqi Government In Their Fight Against Sunni Jihadists

More News On Iran Deploying Military Forces To Iraq

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard deploys to Iraq to stop Sunni terror group -- Washington Times
As jihadists take aim at Baghdad, Iran steps in to help historical foe -- FOX News
Iran vows to combat 'terrorism' in Iraq -- Al Jazeera
Iraq Isis Invasion: Iran's Republican Guards Rushed to Defence of Baghdad -- IBTimes
Iran Is Deploying Experienced Fighters To Beat Back Militants In Iraq -- Business Insider
Iran deploys forces to fight rebels: WSJ, citing Iranian sources -- CNBC
Iran just sent an elite military unit to fight in Iraq -- VOX

My Comment: After the U.S. said no to the Iraqi government's plea for air strikes .... the Iraqi government had only one other option left, and that was to ask the Iranians for help. For the Iraqi government to agree to this deployment .... a deployment that I am sure that most Iraqis would be strongly against .... tells me that the Iraqi government in Baghdad is now desperate. They know that their army has collapsed, and they no longer have any trust in those units that are still in the field.

Update: We now know the answer to this debate .... Will Iran Intervene in Iraq? -- Iran Wire

2 comments:

phill said...

If they can accomplish there goals on the ground fast enough i say maybe. But if they get bogged down and the Sunni population starts supporting the ISIS then....meat grinder they can't afford.

James said...

Got to give it to these guys, gloves and spats!