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Monday, June 17, 2013

Iranian Expeditionary Force

I wondered how long Hezbollah can provide the shock troops for Assad's counter-attacks. Iran seems to be wondering that, too.

Iran is going to kick it up a notch in Syria, it seems:

Iran will send 4,000 of its troops to Syria to aid president Bashar al-Assad's forces in its fight against rebels, according to the UK's Independent newspaper. ...

As well as sending Revolutionary Guards, Iran has reportedly proposed to open a "Syrian front" against Israel in the Golan Heights.

I imagine the talk of a front against Israel is mostly propaganda to disguise the fact that they are going to kill Arabs. Iran spoke about going through lots of dead Iraqis to get to Israel in the 1980s.

I'm a little surprised that Iran would risk men in Syria without a secure line of communication back to Iran. Ground, air, and sea lines of communication are not solid. Perhaps 4,000 is considered expendable.

And if they are to be shock troops since Assad's infantry is worn out, his militias aren't up to the task, and Hezbollah fighters are getting chewed up in that role, maybe the Iranians aren't expected to survive long in any case.

Or perhaps they will lead Assad's militias to stiffen them up. Which leaves open the question of what Assad can do when his Hezbollah gunmen are used up leading counter-attacks.