US Losing Influence in Iraq to Iran

The US has made itself the enemy of Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Since that event, the US has opposed development in Iran with the explicit goal of causing a collapse of the country and carrying out “regime change”. Throughout the decades the US has attempted time and time again to sabotage the efforts of Iran to build peaceful relations with its neighbours and to carry out economic cooperation with other countries that the US oppose, like Russia. Iran also remains one of the few countries which has not been attacked by the US via proxy forces, or lies concerning “weapons of mass destruction”. As a result, it has been a constant target for hostile foreign policy.

The largest concern the US has right now is the anti-imperialist influence that Iran wields in the region. US-backed forces have failed to overthrow the Syrian government. Both Iran and Russia have been instrumental in helping preserve the rightful leadership and path of the country. Iran has played a large hand in rejecting the genocide by Israel. They have played a role in countering the imperialist ambitions of Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

Now a larger “threat” is looming for the US with regards to Iran. It seems that the leadership Iraq is moving away from the US and towards Iran. The largest party in Iraq, led by Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, has announced an alliance with an Iran-backed coalition ahead of marathon negotiations to form a new government. This move is a shock to many considering his past as an anti-Iran personality. The new alliance is very concerning for anti-Iran forces as the coalition controls 101 seats in parliament. This is still far from the required 165 to reach a majority, but it is still a significant amount of power. The strategic alliance is calling on others to join them, a possibility for growth.

The US has fought hard to prevent Iran’s anti-imperialist influence from growing in the region. Thus far they have failed. Various right-wing think-tanks declared al-Sadr the best hope for Iraq to reject Iranian influence and keeping it orientated towards the people who murdered it, the US. Not long ago al-Sadr met with the Saudis and appeared to be getting along with them. It should be noted that as the US under Trump has refused to put forward money to rebuild Iraq, the Saudis have stepped in with cash. It seems al-Sadr wasn’t too fond of the Wahabbists after all. To make matters worse, the foreign minister and former first post-Saddam president Ibrahim al-Jaafari, is also quite pro-Iran as well.

He’s even quoted as saying: “Good relations between Iran and Iraq have had positive results for both countries, and in practice they have proved to be in the interest of both countries.”

Despite the efforts by the US, it seems their influence over Iraqi politics is in decline. Iran, on the other hand, seemed to be finding a greater and greater friendship with the country it was once locked in an eight-year war with. US foreign policy in this theatre seems to have been a failure.

There once was a great anti-Iran leader in Iraq… his name was Saddam Hussein.