[ad_1]
US forces established a new base in Manbij, Syria, on May 8, 2018. Photo taken on May 8, 2018.
(photo credit: RODI SAID / REUTERS)
X
Dear reader,
As you can imagine, more people are reading the Jerusalem Post than ever before.
Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications,
like ours, are forced to look for new ways to continue. Unlike many other media outlets,
we have not set up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open
and accessible and be able to continue to provide you with news
and badyzes of the front lines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
As one of our faithful readers, we ask you to be our partner.
For $ 5 per month, you will have access to the following:
- A user experience almost completely devoid of ads
- Access to our Premium section
- Content of the award-winning Jerusalem Report and our monthly magazine to learn Hebrew – Ivrit
- A brand new electronic paper presenting the daily newspaper as it appears in Israel
Help us grow and continue to tell the story of Israel to the world.
Thank you,
Ronit Hasin-Hochman, CEO, Jerusalem Post Group
Yaakov Katz, editor-in-chief
IMPROVE YOUR JPOST EXPERIENCE OF $ 5 PER MONTH
Show me later
Iranian forces in Syria could pose a threat to the United States and in Iraq, the Iranian threat is increasing, according to a new report from the US Department of Defense. The Chief Inspector General's report on the Inherent Resolve operation was released Tuesday and reviews the role of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
However, the quarterly report, which covers operations from July to September of this year, notes that Iran represents a growing threat to the United States and examines how Washington is changing stance in Syria as the mission changes.
In recent months, US officials have said that US troops will remain in Syria as long as Iranian troops are also present in the country. The United States now seeks to "leverage" their influence in Syria to overthrow Iran.
This is a major shift in the mission from the conflict that began in 2014 and confronted ISIS. The report also examines the US base in Tanf, located in southern Syria, near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders. He notes that "although Iran-backed militias may pose a threat to US and coalition forces in Syria, neither the Iranian-backed and Iran-backed militias are likely to be a threat to US and coalition forces in Syria. have prevented anti-ISIS operations. " The garrison at Tanf restricts the movement of the Iranians.
The Department of Defense seems concerned that the mission in Syria is becoming open. "These political goals include the withdrawal of Iran and Iranian proxies from the country, influence the outcome of the Syrian civil war in its eighth year and the stabilization of the areas of northeastern Syria liberated from the country. Islamic State. "
How to manage all these policies, some of which may be contradictory? Robert Karem, then Deputy Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, said the United States would "desegregate" these goals. Confronting Iran is now called an "accessory" and "residual" benefit of the anti-ISIS war. "These officials raise questions about when the presence of US troops will end," the report notes.
In Iraq, the United States is also facing a growing Iranian threat. US forces returned to Iraq in 2014 to face the Islamic State and are now conducting a vast training program with the coalition of 70 countries fighting the Islamic State. According to the Department of Defense, the Islamic State has "lost all of its territory in Iraq". But with US forces still in Iraq, the presence of Iran-backed forces is a cause for concern.
JPOST VIDEOS THAT COULD INTEREST YOU:
The report states that the popular mobilization forces of Iranian-backed Shiite militias continue to act independently of the Iraqi army, which "strengthens Iran's influence in Iran." Iraq". The Iranian "proxies" also reinforce their "threatening attitude towards US personnel". "
This includes 100 to 150 members of Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps – Force Quds. The report blames them for two attacks that have targeted US facilities in recent months. "Mortar attacks that targeted the green zone and landed near the US embbady in Baghdad and rocket attacks that targeted the Basra airport, near the US Consulate General." The United States closed its consulate in Basra in response.
Iran seems to run a state in an Iraqi state. The United States baderts that not only does Iran provide significant direct support to armed groups, but that it also sends "missiles and rockets carried by border crossing points". In addition, Iran collects combat information, provides training, ammunition and surveillance operations by drones. "
Iran-backed militias are engaged in "illegal checks, smuggling, drug and oil trafficking, corruption and extortion." "If nothing has been done, the harbadment of US forces sponsored by Iran could intensify, as well as the Iranian-influenced operations as they argue over a dispute." influence on the new Iraqi government. "
How will the United States deal with this Iranian threat? Washington is determined to help the Iraqi government to defend itself, but with the increasing role of Iran and political parties in Iraq, as well as militias aligned with Iran, how are the United States keeping that support for the government does not end up in the hands of Iran.
The report says the US is determined to counter "Iranian influence," but without Washington's policy telling them how to proceed, the report seems to leave a big question mark on what's going on.
Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $ 5 and enhance your experience with an ad-free website and exclusive content. Click here >>
[ad_2]
Source link
