The Patriot Post® · U.S. Airpower to Support Iranian Forces in ISIL Fight

In Middle East diplomacy, the United States is working seemingly with two different Irans. Sure, there’s the Iran that is backing Houthi rebels in Yemen, that chants “death to America.” But then there’s the Iran that sent troops to fight ISIL in Iraq, and with which the United States is working. Recently, the U.S. military has directed its air power to the Iraqi city of Tikrit, where the Iraqi Army and the Iranian military have stalled in their offensive against ISIL positions. It requires some sort of coordination with Iran, even if only means Iraqi soldiers telling U.S. intelligence where Iranian soldiers are positioned. National Review’s Jim Geraghty wrote this morning, “So we’re offering logistical help to our allies to help them fight Iranian proxies… while we’re helping Iranian forces in Iraq against ISIS… while we’re attempting to reach agreement with the Iranians on their nuclear ambitions.” That pretty much sums up Barack Obama’s foreign policy bungle. The New York Times suggests this arrangement is yet another effort to gain influence with the Iraqi military over Iran’s jockeying. There’s only one Iran with one vision for how its relationship with the United States will develop. The Obama administration better figure out what Iran wants before it gets burned. More…