I wonder what would happen if Iran decides to step in as they say they will. Would Iran try to grab a slice of territory or go even further? The state Iraq is in atm, might present a tempting target for Iran.

^

Looking back, the US stuffed Mr Saddam Hussein with weapons, so he could and should (intended) attack Iran, what he did. He also attacked the Kurdish settlements with poison gas delivered by "the west", and generally behaved like the dictator and bully that he was.
He never understood why America suddenly dropped him.

From today's viewpoint Iraq was a much better place to live, before the 'liberation'.

They already are in there and always have been since the past ten years or so. ;)

Yes, but actual troops is what I mean.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/iran-...ces-1402592470

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/12/5804184...oops-iran-isis

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world...ment-1.1830624

But those are all unconfirmed as I understand it?

I kinda wish all parties would stay out of it. State and societal formation and consolidation is a long process. It is often ugly and violent and it is what we are witnessing in Iraq. Right now the Iraqis are working out just who gets to be considered an Iraqi, as well as who gets to be in control and how state and society are going to be organized. And when this wave passes, eventually there will be another one. Expectations will have been raised, but whoever emerges will not be able to meet them, until one day they finally are able to do so and things will settle down. Maybe eventually they will agree to some sort of partition and we will get borders and new nations were Iraq once was that make some sort of cohesive sense.

I fully expect the Kurds to declare independence as soon as they think everyone is sufficiently diverted with the Sunni versus Shi’a Arab violence.

But if you note in Jims 3rd link they have already been there for over a decade. If you go back to recent years you will find plenty about their deploying to Syria from Iraq to prop up Assad.
If you want to further tie the two periods and the links together. The Iranian backed, Al quds trained, Hezb'allah are also in Syria propping up Assad, they officially set up shop in Iraq shortly after the US invasion under the protection of the Iranian led al quds trained Al-Badr brigades.

So it is unconfirmed that the two battalions have moved across the border, but not unconfirmed that other units of that force have been in Iraq for a long time already.

Oh, I agree that Iran has had it's fingers in the play for some time. But again, I mean to concentrate to the time when/if Iran sends military forces across the border. Not guerrillas, but actual troops as they say they will. What you guys think should be the west's answer if nothing.

This lady agrees with you:http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles.../state8070.htm

Professor Ofra Bengio is senior research associate at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, Israel. She is the author of the forthcoming The Kurds of Iraq: Building a State within a State

Quote:

Asked if the Iraqi Kurds would be more likely to declare independence if their efforts to export oil independently via Turkey become constant and sustainable, Bengio responded that “the main obstacle for separation is the economic dependence of Erbil [the region’s capital] on Baghdad. If Erbil manages to export oil and gas independently of Baghdad it will make such a move much more plausible.”

The Kurds want to export their oil through Turkey: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-19/iraq-s-kurds-to-export-oil-by-new-pipeline-very-soon-.html

Quote:

Jun 19, 2013 · Iraq’s Kurds will start exporting crude by pipeline “very soon” after the completion of a new link to the Turkish border by the end of September

Are there some one who can tell what we can expect if ISIS gain power in Iraq and perhaps Syria?

Will we see an another Afghanistan but a much more terror?

Markus

They are actual troops, quds is a corps of the Iranian revolutionary guard.
Think of it as Vietnam in the 50s and early 60s before full on Americanisation came about following Tonkin.

God knows. You have the evil Iranians on one side placed into a position of power by silly US adventurism. Then you have the really crazy sunni fundies on the other side, essentially formed and funded by Americas local "allies".
A bit of a ****storm whichever way they chose to jump isn't it:oops:

Agreed. I advocate "no see, no hear, no say"-policy in this case. Not very humane or something like that but best course of action in my opinion. Next best in my opinion is supporting Iran although I'm worried how that could possibly backfire? :hmmm:

Oh for ****'s sake. Must it be so difficult?

Tribesman, you know what I mean, boots on the groud, Revolutionary Guards of Iran as they have said they will send to fight ISIS.

Or are you one of those who stick to every little detail?

Details are important.
Revolutionary guards are already there and have been there a long time , that's boots on the ground.

@ Kraznyi
I agree to a certain extent, however, they made the mess so they are responsible for cleaning up their mess.

Is there a best course of action?
Seems to me like they a now buggered whatever they do.

Inadvertingly supporting Iran is how they ended up where they are now.