Using Iran?

[colddiesel]

Iran was one of the first countries to condemn the attacks in Paris and in very strong terms. Given that Western countries seem to be moving towards a more active - maybe boots on the ground response to ISIL; How should we respond if Iran offered to put their soldiers in against ISIL?

 

[Que]

Iran was one of the first countries to condemn the attacks in Paris and in very strong terms. Given that Western countries seem to be moving towards a more active - maybe boots on the ground response to ISIL; How should we respond if Iran offered to put their soldiers in against ISIL?

I don't know that it is a uniquely American trait, because to an extent every country vilifies the "enemy" in order to make it morally acceptable to kill them. It seems to take a generation or two before it is OK to consider a former enemy an ally, which when you think about it is silly.

The soldiers in any army are serving as honorably as they can under the ROE provided, the leadership provided, their culture, and their own internal compass. Killing people is a bit easier when they are shooting at you, but at some point a switch to dehumanize the person you are going to kill has to be thrown.

There is no reason, in theory, that we cannot simply decide on a pragmatic basis that Iran is the lesser evil, or the enemy of our enemy by tomorrow and simply normalize relations.

Considering we repeatedly tried to overthrow and even assassinate Castro, how the hell did we justify dictating to them they are a pariah, for my entire lifetime? There are far worse regimes we do business with.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

Yeah, like this isn't a big enough clusterfuck already.

 

[pensivepoet]

Correct me if I'm wrong (and. Surely some one will) but aren't we the ones who set up saddam in Iraq?
And the inside story is that we gave him the green light to attack Kuwait, quietly
Before condemning it and villifying him.
Don't trust whitey seems a careful policy.

 

[colddiesel]

Yeah, like this isn't a big enough clusterfuck already.

Well it could also be argued that they could not make it any worse. I have been interested for years that despite the fact there are 2.8 million Persian speakers in Afghanistan, ( Hazaras) and the fact that Iran has taken 1.5 million refugees from that conflict, they have steered well clear of the fighting. Which shows they're not stupid.

If some sort of broad coalition was contemplated, The Russians would like them in, ditto the Kurds and Iraqui Shia. Assad would love it . The Turks would be dubious; and Israel because of Hezbollah, and Saudi Arabia because of concerns with their own Shia minority would make common cause in opposing Iran. Yup Colonel, a clusterfuck but the Iranians are crafty as hell and it would never surprise me if the Iranians put themselves forward, just to tie everyone elses knickers in a knot.

And that's not even considering the response of USA.

 

[OjosMojo]

Iran was one of the first countries to condemn the attacks in Paris and in very strong terms. Given that Western countries seem to be moving towards a more active - maybe boots on the ground response to ISIL; How should we respond if Iran offered to put their soldiers in against ISIL?

Evidently you're not aware that Twelver soldiers are already in both Syria and Iraq fighting against ISIS.

And why wouldn't they condemn their jihadi brothers? They've been murdering each other for 1300 years now.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

Well it could also be argued that they could not make it any worse. I have been interested for years that despite the fact there are 2.8 million Persian speakers in Afghanistan, ( Hazaras) and the fact that Iran has taken 1.5 million refugees from that conflict, they have steered well clear of the fighting. Which shows they're not stupid.

If some sort of broad coalition was contemplated, The Russians would like them in, ditto the Kurds and Iraqui Shia. Assad would love it . The Turks would be dubious; and Israel because of Hezbollah, and Saudi Arabia because of concerns with their own Shia minority would make common cause in opposing Iran. Yup Colonel, a clusterfuck but the Iranians are crafty as hell and it would never surprise me if the Iranians put themselves forward, just to tie everyone elses knickers in a knot.

And that's not even considering the response of USA.

The problem isn't "defeating" ISIS. We could do that tomorrow before Happy Hour. The problem, as we aptly demonstrated in our mismanagement of Iraq post-Saddam, is one of Shia vs. Sunni. Both have demonstrated their willingness to slaughter one another. It was a major factor in the formation of ISIS and one we did not anticipate then and one we still don't have an answer for now. It looms as a potential cloud hanging over a post-Assad Syria.

If my analysis is anywhere close to correct, then, yeah, I think a bunch of Iranians showing up in their Toyota pick-ups or whatever the hell it is they drive would meet my definition of making things "worse."

 

[PoppingTom]

I don't know that it is a uniquely American trait, because to an extent every country vilifies the "enemy" in order to make it morally acceptable to kill them. It seems to take a generation or two before it is OK to consider a former enemy an ally

But the other way around in an instant?

I mean, Russia was an ally in WWII.

 

[about_average]

But the other way around in an instant?

I mean, Russia was an ally in WWII.

Sort of an ally.
They did seize a flight of the US's most advanced bomber (the only one capable of delivering nuclear weapons) and copied them.
The Soviet Union refused to declare war on Japan, which would have eased the US Pacific war some, while at the same time insisting that the US and the UK alter their western campaigns plans to draw German resources away from the eastern front.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Iran was one of the first countries to condemn the attacks in Paris and in very strong terms. Given that Western countries seem to be moving towards a more active - maybe boots on the ground response to ISIL; How should we respond if Iran offered to put their soldiers in against ISIL?

Negatively.

Their target is Sunni Islam and it would trigger a much larger conflict.