U.S. Alleges Syria Bombed ISIS Positions Inside Iraq

Iraq Map

The United States is accusing Syria of launching air strikes inside Iraq against ISIS/ISIL forces:

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials said Syria launched airstrikes into western Iraq on Tuesday in an attempt to slow the al-Qaida-inspired insurgency fighting both the Syrian and Iraqi governments.

Officials said Wednesday the strikes were the work of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, which is locked in a bloody civil war with opposition groups. The target of the attacks was the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which has been fighting along with the rebels opposed to Assad and since has moved swiftly across the border into Iraq.

The White House said intervention by Syria was not the way to stem the insurgents, who have taken control of several cities in northern and western Iraq.

“The solution to the threat confronting Iraq is not the intervention of the Assad regime, which allowed ISIL to thrive in the first place,” said Bernadette Meehan, a National Security Council spokeswoman. “The solution to Iraq’s security challenge does not involve militias or the murderous Assad regime, but the strengthening of the Iraqi security forces to combat threats.”

Two U.S. officials said Iran has been flying surveillance drones in Iraq, controlling them from an airfield in Baghdad. Officials said they believe the drones are equipped for surveillance only, but they could not rule out that the drones may be armed. The officials spoke only on grounds of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the issue publicly by name.

Pentagon officials have said a number of Iranian Quds force commanders and operatives had moved into Iraq in recent weeks when the insurgency began to get a foothold.

In an unusual twist for the long-time foes, the U.S. and Iran find themselves with an overlapping interest in stabilizing Iraq’s government. However, while Iran wants to preserve Shiite control of Iraq’s government, the U.S. is pressing leaders in Baghdad to create a more inclusive political system.

It’s not just Iran, of course. The United States now finds itself on the same side in Iraq as Syria, a nation we threatened to bomb last year over chemical weapons use, and in which we are continuing to provide support to one element of the rebels seeking to other throw the sitting government. So, basically, we are fighting Iran, Iraq, and Syria at the same time that we’re on the same side as them. If that’s not the definition of a situation we need to stay the heck out of, I don’t know what is.

FILED UNDER: Iraq War, National Security, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Scott says:

    The solution to the threat confronting Iraq is not the intervention of the Assad regime, which allowed ISIL to thrive in the first place,

    I thought I was following this but is this even true?

    But as Doug said:

    If that’s not the definition of a situation we need to stay the heck out of, I don’t know what is.

    The US shouldn’t be picking sides but, if I had to, I would probably favor Iran and Syria over the Sunnis.

  2. dazedandconfused says:

    The utter incoherence of our policy’s have come home to roost.

    Nevertheless, this is the oil patch, and while not likely, we may be called on to form a coalition to preserve Kuwait and SA production. Let’s hope the administration realizes they are apparently staffed with too many people who do not understand the region and its people and seek the advise of those who do.