Will the U.S. switch sides in Iraq?
Several times in the last several months I have hinted at the possiblity that the United States might eventually switch sides in the war in Iraq. The new Shiite goverment in that country has close historical and religious ties to Iran. The Sunni insurgency is deeply concerned about this situation and their ties to Al Qaeda are strained. Exclusive: Direct Talks—U.S. Officials and Iraqi Insurgents
Feb. 6, 2006 issue - American officials in Iraq are in face-to face talks with high-level Iraqi Sunni insurgents, NEWSWEEK has learned. Americans are sitting down with "senior members of the leadership" of the Iraqi insurgency, according to Americans and Iraqis with knowledge of the talks
They have much to discuss. For one, Americans and Iraqi insurgent groups share a common fear of undue Iranian influence in Iraq. "There is more concern about the domination by Iran of Iraq," says a senior Western diplomat, "and that combination of us being open to them and the dynamics of struggle for domination of violence has come together to get them to want to reach an understanding with us." Contacts between U.S. officials and insurgents have been criticized by Iraq's ruling Shiite leaders, many of whom have longstanding ties to Iran and are deeply resented by Sunnis. "We haven't given the green light to [talks] between the U.S. and insurgents," says Vice President Adel Abdel Mehdi, of the Shiite party, called the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11079548/site/newsweek/
The next step, I suppose, would be arming the insurgency.
