Pentagon Frets Iran’s Rising Influence, Drone Deployment in Iraq

Pentagon Frets Iran’s Rising Influence, Drone Deployment in Iraq

On the Same Side, But US Sees Iran as 'Competition'

by Jason Ditz,

Pentagon officials are said to be growing extremely concerned about Iran’s involvement in Iraq, as the US deployments into Iraq also grow and America’s involvement in the war grows less subtle.

It’s part of the Pentagon’s longstanding hostility toward Iran, as the US and Iran are both on the same side, defending the Shi’ite Iraqi government from the ISIS takeover of the nation’s west.

Iran was the first involved, and deployed a number of surveillance drones, which is of particular concern to the Pentagon, which sees it as unwelcome competition to its own drone overflights.

Even though the two have the same exact agenda in Iraq, the Pentagon’s view is that Iran’s involvement will give them influence over Iraq going forward, ignoring the reality that Iraq has had close ties to Iran since the 2003 US invasion and occupation installed a pro-Iranian faction in power.

http://news.antiwar.com/2014/07/06/pentagon-frets-irans-rising-influence-drone-deployment-in-iraq/