Iran + Iraq

[Joe Bonham]

That's why the Iranians are shivering in their boots right now. A collapsed Iraqi state means lots of armed men with free time on their hands - what better way to spend it than shooting up an Iranian village on the border?

[Artie Bucco]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli's Apprentice

That's why the Iranians are shivering in their boots right now. A collapsed Iraqi state means lots of armed men with free time on their hands - what better way to spend it than shooting up an Iranian village on the border?

I doubt it phases them. There get trouble from the Kurds and the folks in Baluchistan. Why shoudn't a country worry about on unstable nieghbor. Attacks from the PKK and off shot groups have increased in Turkey and if the the Kurds are emboldened enough they could take huge chunks of Iran and Turkey into a new country.

[Joe Bonham]

Collapsed states are like forest fires, they can topple all the other governments around them - and middle eastern governments aren't that stable to begin with.

[Artie Bucco]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli's Apprentice

Collapsed states are like forest fires, they can topple all the other governments around them - and middle eastern governments aren't that stable to begin with.

You seem to focus on Iran. However, one must realise that they are probably one of the most stable governments in the ME. Who is to say that the violence won't spread to Kuwait or Saudi Arabia. I do belive the violence will stay localised. Iran is not the complex ethnic, tribal and relgious cob web Iraq is. The only ethnic group who would wan't to combat the Iranian government are the Kurds. However, they would fight not to topple the government but for indepenence.

[Anlushac11]

Actually I see Irans warming up to Iraq to be 3 fold.

1) Iraq buddying up with Iran will piss the US off

2) Iran can make a market that they can sell their commodities in thus boosting their economy.

3) By alinging themselves with the Shiite majority Iran has the opportunity to become a major influence in Iraqi politics. In time Iran could control what happens in much of Iraq.

[-DarthMaul-]

^Is it me or is Anlushac one of the few people not running around making mindless posts, without backing, or hard facts, or even a rational and logical head?