Incursion by Iran into Iraq

Happy Saturday everyone!

You may have heard yesterday that a small contingent of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps went into Iraqi territory and seized an oil field. Iran is officially denying the story. Meanwhile, the Iraqis first reported, then denied, then re-confirmed the veracity of the incursion. Several U.S. military officials have confirmed the story. So what’s going on?

It’s my feeling that the Iranians did cross the border into Iraq and seize the oil field. Important for your understanding of this incursion is the timing of the event and that it made the news at all.

First of all, the deadline that Obama gave to the Iranians to put up or shut up on the development of their nuclear program is December 31st. So the incursion was clearly timed to give Obama enough time to factor the implications of a hostile, invading force Iran into his calculations.

Second, that the Iranian crisis should suddenly burst into the public eye when it has been bubbling beneath the surface for so long is pertinent. Clearly the Iranians are trying to get this issue into the press. The Iranians know that once the western media get a hold of a story that things reach crisis proportions rapidly. Since Barack Obama has been trying to buy time throughout the crisis, it seems obvious to me that the Iranians are trying to force the issue to complicate any plans that the U.S. Administration might be formulating.

Things are heating up. And this is not a good thing.

Jason