Looks like the U.S. one-upped Iran in this case.
Air Raids on Tikrit Give U.S. the Upper Hand Against Iran
BY KENNETH M. POLLACK 3/28/15 AT 3:25 PM
OPINION
Smoke rises during an air strike in Tikrit March 27, 2015. Iraqi special forces advanced on central Tikrit as U.S.-led coalition planes joined the largest offensive yet against Islamic State militants holding out in Saddam Hussein's home city. THAIER AL-SUDANI/REUTERS
FILED UNDER: Opinion, U.S. Military, Air Strikes, Islamic State, U.S. Foreign Policy
The start of American air operations against Da'ish forces in Tikrit has generated a lot of concerns that this is another foolish move by which the United States is empowering Iran and its allied Shi'ite militias in Iraq.
In this one case, however, the exact opposite is true.
What is critical to understand about the Tikrit offensive is that it was meant to discredit the United States. Two weeks ago, an extremely high-ranking Iraqi official—a senior cabinet minister—told me that the operation was presented by Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis, Iran's most important cat's paw in Iraq, to the Iraqi government six days before the start of the operation.
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Air Raids on Tikrit Give U.S. the Upper Hand Against Iran
Air Raids on Tikrit Give U.S. the Upper Hand Against Iran
BY KENNETH M. POLLACK 3/28/15 AT 3:25 PM
OPINION
Smoke rises during an air strike in Tikrit March 27, 2015. Iraqi special forces advanced on central Tikrit as U.S.-led coalition planes joined the largest offensive yet against Islamic State militants holding out in Saddam Hussein's home city. THAIER AL-SUDANI/REUTERS
FILED UNDER: Opinion, U.S. Military, Air Strikes, Islamic State, U.S. Foreign Policy
The start of American air operations against Da'ish forces in Tikrit has generated a lot of concerns that this is another foolish move by which the United States is empowering Iran and its allied Shi'ite militias in Iraq.
In this one case, however, the exact opposite is true.
What is critical to understand about the Tikrit offensive is that it was meant to discredit the United States. Two weeks ago, an extremely high-ranking Iraqi official—a senior cabinet minister—told me that the operation was presented by Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis, Iran's most important cat's paw in Iraq, to the Iraqi government six days before the start of the operation.
Continue reading at:
Air Raids on Tikrit Give U.S. the Upper Hand Against Iran
