In speech to Congress, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns "the enemy of your enemy is your enemy."
A Volunteer Shiite fighter, from the Popular Mobilisation units who support the Iraqi government forces in the combat against the Islamic State (IS) group, rests a gun on his shoulder in the village of Awaynat near the Iraqi city of Tikrit on February 28, 2015.
A Shiite fighter supporting the Iraqi government rests a gun on his shoulder near Tikrit, Iraq. Forces from majority-Shiite Iran are reportedly aiding in the fight against the Islamic State group in the area.
By Paul D. Shinkman March 3, 2015 | 2:14 p.m. EST + More
It’s becoming increasingly difficult for American officials to explain Iran’s presence in Iraq as it supports local ground forces’ fight against the Islamic State group, most recently in the symbolic town of Tikrit.
Amid ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, a growing number of security officials and public leaders are drawing attention to the Shiite Muslim nation’s presence in Iraq, likely through air support, trainers with the Revolutionary Guard Corps and operatives from the hyper zealous Quds Force.
Volunteer Shiite fighters who support the Iraqi government forces in the combat against the Islamic State group, fire a Howitzer artillery cannon in Awaynat, near the city of Tikrit, Iraq, on Feb. 28, 2015.
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The Battle of Tikrit Begins
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Monday he believed any movement over Iran’s nuclear program would have little to no effect on the ground forces it has deployed around the globe. Iran’s interest in maintaining power among fellow Shiites militias in Iraq is particularly troubling, Clapper said, while speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“I don’t see that changing, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations,” he said.
The U.S. is reportedly withholding airstrikes as an Iraqi-led coalition of Sunnis and Shiites attempts to retake Tikrit, the birthplace of Saddam Hussein, and a key point on the road to retaking the strategic town of Mosul. Success there may indicate local forces are able to ultimately defeat the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
The top U.S. commander in the region declined to offer any specifics to Congress Tuesday on how the American military navigates this treacherous arrangement.
“It is certainly a complex situation,” said Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. Central Command, during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday morning. He purposefully avoided mentioning “Iran” in response to the first line of questioning. “We are focusing on helping, providing support to the country, the government of Iraq and its efforts to counter ISIL.”
“This is an Iraqi effort, the Iraqis have to do this. We will enable their efforts with our airpower and our advice and our assistance, as we can.”
He cited the Iranian military’s previous presence in the eastern portions of Iraq, and cooperation between local forces and the “popular mobilization forces that are working there.”
[READ: Why the Military Is Giving Part of Its Playbook to ISIS]
Austin was responding to questioning from Rep. Niki Tsongas, D.-Mass., and minutes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress about Iran’s nuclear threat. Tsongas asked Austin, in response to the speech, whether the U.S. government is taking advantage of the Iranian assistance. She i6 interpreted Austin’s response to mean the U.S. defers to Iraq’s relationships with its neighbors.
Austin later clarified, “we do not coordinate with the Iranians,” offering the usual Pentagon response to queries about Iran’s presence in Iraq.
“There is no communications between us and them,” Austin continued. “So absolute knowledge about what their intent is is not always going to be there.”
The general cited U.S. intelligence services and the ability to collect overhead imagery of Iran’s presence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 3, 2015, in Washington, D.C.
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“The activity in Tikrit was no surprise. I saw this coming many days leading up to this. It was a logical progression of what they’ve been doing in the east of the country,” he said.
Netanyahu delivered a highly contentious, hour-long speech to Congress mid-morning Tuesday, forcing a break in the House committee session as its members -- particularly Republicans -- left to be in attendance in the main House chamber.
The prime minister, who faces re-election in three weeks, insisted that there is never an excuse to partner with Iran militarily, even if it appears as though the U.S. and Iran have a mutual enemy in the Islamic State group.
“One calls itself the Islamic Republic, one calls itself the Islamic State,” he said. “They just disagree among themselves who will be the ruler of that empire.”
“When it comes to Iran and ISIS, the enemy of your enemy is your enemy,” Netanyahu warned.
Iran has not admitted to the presence of its force in Iraq, but its state news service has published multiple, relatively detailed reports on the success of Iraqi forces in Tikrit.
One report, published during Netanyahu’s speech, cited an anonymous military source that said Iraqi forces had successfully captured “a large number” of Islamic State group fighters during its campaign in Tikrit.
A Volunteer Shiite fighter, from the Popular Mobilisation units who support the Iraqi government forces in the combat against the Islamic State (IS) group, rests a gun on his shoulder in the village of Awaynat near the Iraqi city of Tikrit on February 28, 2015.
A Shiite fighter supporting the Iraqi government rests a gun on his shoulder near Tikrit, Iraq. Forces from majority-Shiite Iran are reportedly aiding in the fight against the Islamic State group in the area.
By Paul D. Shinkman March 3, 2015 | 2:14 p.m. EST + More
It’s becoming increasingly difficult for American officials to explain Iran’s presence in Iraq as it supports local ground forces’ fight against the Islamic State group, most recently in the symbolic town of Tikrit.
Amid ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, a growing number of security officials and public leaders are drawing attention to the Shiite Muslim nation’s presence in Iraq, likely through air support, trainers with the Revolutionary Guard Corps and operatives from the hyper zealous Quds Force.
Volunteer Shiite fighters who support the Iraqi government forces in the combat against the Islamic State group, fire a Howitzer artillery cannon in Awaynat, near the city of Tikrit, Iraq, on Feb. 28, 2015.
RELATED
The Battle of Tikrit Begins
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Monday he believed any movement over Iran’s nuclear program would have little to no effect on the ground forces it has deployed around the globe. Iran’s interest in maintaining power among fellow Shiites militias in Iraq is particularly troubling, Clapper said, while speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“I don’t see that changing, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations,” he said.
The U.S. is reportedly withholding airstrikes as an Iraqi-led coalition of Sunnis and Shiites attempts to retake Tikrit, the birthplace of Saddam Hussein, and a key point on the road to retaking the strategic town of Mosul. Success there may indicate local forces are able to ultimately defeat the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
The top U.S. commander in the region declined to offer any specifics to Congress Tuesday on how the American military navigates this treacherous arrangement.
“It is certainly a complex situation,” said Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. Central Command, during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday morning. He purposefully avoided mentioning “Iran” in response to the first line of questioning. “We are focusing on helping, providing support to the country, the government of Iraq and its efforts to counter ISIL.”
“This is an Iraqi effort, the Iraqis have to do this. We will enable their efforts with our airpower and our advice and our assistance, as we can.”
He cited the Iranian military’s previous presence in the eastern portions of Iraq, and cooperation between local forces and the “popular mobilization forces that are working there.”
[READ: Why the Military Is Giving Part of Its Playbook to ISIS]
Austin was responding to questioning from Rep. Niki Tsongas, D.-Mass., and minutes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress about Iran’s nuclear threat. Tsongas asked Austin, in response to the speech, whether the U.S. government is taking advantage of the Iranian assistance. She i6 interpreted Austin’s response to mean the U.S. defers to Iraq’s relationships with its neighbors.
Austin later clarified, “we do not coordinate with the Iranians,” offering the usual Pentagon response to queries about Iran’s presence in Iraq.
“There is no communications between us and them,” Austin continued. “So absolute knowledge about what their intent is is not always going to be there.”
The general cited U.S. intelligence services and the ability to collect overhead imagery of Iran’s presence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 3, 2015, in Washington, D.C.
RELATED
Netanyahu: Nuclear Deal 'Paves Iran's Path to the Bomb'
“The activity in Tikrit was no surprise. I saw this coming many days leading up to this. It was a logical progression of what they’ve been doing in the east of the country,” he said.
Netanyahu delivered a highly contentious, hour-long speech to Congress mid-morning Tuesday, forcing a break in the House committee session as its members -- particularly Republicans -- left to be in attendance in the main House chamber.
The prime minister, who faces re-election in three weeks, insisted that there is never an excuse to partner with Iran militarily, even if it appears as though the U.S. and Iran have a mutual enemy in the Islamic State group.
“One calls itself the Islamic Republic, one calls itself the Islamic State,” he said. “They just disagree among themselves who will be the ruler of that empire.”
“When it comes to Iran and ISIS, the enemy of your enemy is your enemy,” Netanyahu warned.
Iran has not admitted to the presence of its force in Iraq, but its state news service has published multiple, relatively detailed reports on the success of Iraqi forces in Tikrit.
One report, published during Netanyahu’s speech, cited an anonymous military source that said Iraqi forces had successfully captured “a large number” of Islamic State group fighters during its campaign in Tikrit.
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