World exclusive: Iran will send 4,000 troops to aid Bashar al-Assad’s forces in Syria

Washington’s decision to arm Syria’s Sunni Muslim rebels has plunged America into the great Sunni-Shia conflict of the Islamic Middle East, entering a struggle that now dwarfs the Arab revolutions which overthrew dictatorships across the region.

For the first time, all of America’s ‘friends’ in the region are Sunni Muslims and all of its enemies are Shiites. Breaking all President Barack Obama’s rules of disengagement, the US is now fully engaged on the side of armed groups which include the most extreme Sunni Islamist movements in the Middle East.

The Independent on Sunday has learned that a military decision has been taken in Iran – even before last week’s presidential election – to send a first contingent of 4,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards to Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad’s forces against the largely Sunni rebellion that has cost almost 100,000 lives in just over two years. Iran is now fully committed to preserving Assad’s regime, according to pro-Iranian sources which have been deeply involved in the Islamic Republic’s security, even to the extent of proposing to open up a new ‘Syrian’ front on the Golan Heights against Israel.

The Scary Rest

I was afraid of this...

The "Arab Spring" is turning into a Arab nightmare.

"Only an all-out war can depose Assad. Anything less is like being 'half-pregnant'

World View: Syria's insurgents cannot win just by getting a few more weapons. If the West intervenes, it will be as a main player

Syria is close to following Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya as the target of a major Western military intervention. It certainly looks that way after the American decision last week to send weapons to the rebels in a move that can only deepen the conflict.

The supposed aim of the United States arms supply is to "tip the balance" in favour of the insurgents and force Bashar al-Assad's government to negotiate its departure from power. But Assad holds all but one of Syria's cities and large towns, so, to transform the military situation on the ground the US, Britain and France would have to become the main fighting force of the rebels and engage in a full-scale war.

The Rest

reply to post by whyamIhere


I guess all the criminal activity in washington dc needs a WW3 distraction.

reply to post by whyamIhere


Looks was we have a full war drum roll. Now we have to see what Russia is going to do. I think we are going to see a war break out before the end of July.

YES!!!! It's about time...

Lets get this War a rolling...

this is will be turn into global war..this will the first ww3 triger..very scary, iran sent 4000 troop..Us will send 20 f22 Raptor..rusia send 200 hi tech movement detection anti aircraft..who els?

Maybe we could send them forty million cheerio yoyos...then they all could have a giant yoyo contest....see who could walk the dog furthest or sleep the longest.....
Couldnt you imagine all those middle eastern types opening the parachuted package and it full of cheerio yoyos?

Im sorry i got carried away with the futility.....this sobering news indeed....perhaps a planned for event, perhaps not, but id say this catches the US and co flat ass footed.....
The Iranis, Hezbollah, Russian and chinese support.....
looks dubious to me....
Morsi however jumped to the US side today....the Sunnis of egypt have sproken.

Here is Russia's stance.

wordpress

MOSCOW, May 12 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Mediterranean task force will comprise 5-6 warships and may be enlarged to include nuclear submarines, Navy Commander Adm. Viktor Chirkov said on Sunday.

“Overall, already from this year, we plan to have 5-6 warships and support vessels [in the Mediterranean Sea], which will be replaced on a rotating basis from each of the fleets – the Black Sea, Baltic, Northern and, in some cases, even the Pacific Fleet. Depending on the scope of assignments and their complexity, the number of warships in the task force may be increased,” Chirkov told RIA Novosti.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier said a decision to deploy a permanent task force in the Mediterranean to defend Russia’s interests in the area had been made.

The Russian navy commander also said nuclear submarines could be deployed in the Mediterranean, if necessary.

rusnavy
timesofIsrael

Israel france uk Us have set up shop all around Syria. operation "eager lion" in Jordan. Iran sending troops is a counter act to what the US is setting up for.

reply to post by whatzshaken


I am curious, how exactly has the UK and France "set up shop"? I know the US has a small contingent in Jordan but hardly enough to tip the balance. The UK and France, however, have deployed very few assets that weren't already in region, such as in Cyprus.

The Russian Navy is in their base on the Syrian coast. The U.S. Military is on the Jordanian border. Iran is sending troops into the interior and the FSA has elements from all over the Middle East and North Africa.

It's becoming a regular United Nation with guns! I guess a rousing chorus of 'We are the World' is out of the question? Yes? Oh Well... It would've been a great song in so many languages.

Originally posted by spartaocean
YES!!!! It's about time...

Lets get this War a rolling...

Lets get it!

Just kidding. The american people dont want this. I guess it doesnt matter. Screw you white house.

reply to post by whatzshaken


scary..they just like playing chess..allies is the black one..do you know why the black one??

Thanks for the info. I believe this move was a distraction by Washington and a selfish one at that. It's not too late to take the US out of this and just back down. 100,000 is going to quickly turn into 200,000 all because Washington is hell bent on diversion and world power. Russia warned of this long ago so I see this having the potential for the beginning of WWIII. I would be POed too if I were Iran or Russia.

It will be an interesting few weeks ........
SS 300 missiles in Syrian hands....
4000 eager troops,(not an insignifigant number, but a realistic logistics problem for Iran..)
how soon they can be deployed is another matter....though Iranian aircraft are flying in to Syria..
The main airport could be a choke point.(with opposition efforts.)
By ship its a week or two maybe....
Unless big brother Russia supplies heavy lift capacity for the troops....
By the way, what happened to all the Russian volunteers that were comming to Assads aid?

...

the u.s is not at not at war..but that region is at war with the us..and just like vietnam...they are fighting for thier country.....what is the u.s fighting for? and why is the u.s fighting there? and why is the u.s. once again sending troops into a country that has no bearing on the u.s.? and why is the u.s population quiet on this matter? what happened to the will of the population? do we want our troops to be deployed in another conflict that has no meaning ? has the u.s. population been so desenitized that they do not care what thier govt does?

reply to post by cheesy


Because they go second? Not following you on that though.

I doubt we will send in any troops, not officially anyway, our leaders know that would be going too far, sending weapons is bordering the "red line".

All I have to say on the subject. . .

In the words of Charlton Heston. . .

"You Maniacs! You blew it up! God Damn you! God damn you all to hell!"