Iran a possible ally for the USA in Afghanistan region?

[CaptainPanic]

Today, a Sunni group attacked the Iranian army, and killed at least 5 commanders of the Revolutionary Guards units and dozens of civilians.

 

Iran already said it will strike back on the terrorists, and it claimed that the terrorists are backed up by the USA and UK.

The rebels/terrorists (Jundallah) claim to have no ties at all with Al-Quaida or Taliban.

 

Iran is under attack from the same region where Pakistan, Afghanistan and all western allies are fighting their war against extremist Muslim groups (mostly Al-Quaida and Taliban, but also other groups)... And all those groups seem Sunni's (I might be wrong?). Iranians are mostly Shia. Why are the Iranians and Americans not fighting side-by-side? Makes more sense to me than the current hostile diplomatic relations.

 

In the Bush rhetorics, one phrase was often used: "If you're not with us, you're against us", but another one seems more fitting here: "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"... We're fighting a war against terrorism, right?

 

I know it'll be hard to sell in the USA and Iran (both countries have a nice propaganda machine going on about each other)...

 

In addition, the Iranians stop a lot of opium products from Afghanistan. And they'd probably be grateful if the allies in Afghanistan would assist in stopping those products... again, a combined operation and shared intelligence would make sense there, also because a lot of those opium products (heroin) don't stop in Iran, but continue westward into Europe.

[Sisyphus]

Well, it's a freer country than Saudi Arabia, and they're our dearest friends. Of course, Iran is provocative, and Saudi Arabia bends over backwards to please us. And it would be a really hard sell politically, especially for Obama. The half of the country that doesn't distinguish between "Muslim" and "terrorist" and sees the "Islamic world" as one political entity also thinks Obama in particular is a secret agent for "them."

[devrimci_kürt]

Today, a Sunni group attacked the Iranian army, and killed at least 5 commanders of the Revolutionary Guards units and dozens of civilians.

 

And all those groups seem Sunni's (I might be wrong?). Iranians are mostly Shia. Why are the Iranians and Americans not fighting side-by-side? Makes more sense to me than the current hostile diplomatic relations.

yes, they are sunni..(I am a Shia)

 

In the Bush rhetorics, one phrase was often used: "If you're not with us, you're against us", but another one seems more fitting here: "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"... We're fighting a war against terrorism, right?

actually,You might be right. but , there is religion(muslim) Solidarity..

but it(this Solidarity) is wrong(I think)..

[Sisyphus]

I should also add that picking untrustworthy/illiberal allies has been the cause of a great portion of America's problems in foreign relations. But I guess much of that was in proxy wars, as with the Taliban, Iraq, etc. Maybe "fighting side by side" would be a good thing, as long as we stop short of funneling resources into the Iranian military. And of course, "terrorism" is such a nebulous concept that I'm sure we can agree on something to shoot at.

[Mr Skeptic]

I think that it would be a good thing. I also think that our next war is going to be against Iran, within a decade or less.

[devrimci_kürt]

there is biat culture (for shias) ...

biad is a turkish word.. (Actually an arabic word)....a religion concept in muslim world..

I can' t translate biat word to english...

in biat culture, religion auctoritas is the central issue in an insurgency..

 

therefore, the Iranians(Shias) and Americans not fighting side-by-side...

 

commentary: according to Iranians, rebellion against Americans is obedience to God.

Edited October 19, 2009 by devrimci_kürt