Saturday, May 28, 2016

Growing Sectarian Divisions In Iraq Over The Role That Iranian General Qassem Soleimani Is Playing In The Battle For Fallujah

Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani (center, with black hat) posing for a picture in Anbar province, Iraq.

Reuters: Iraqi Sunni politicians reject visit by Iran's Soleimani to Falluja

Sunni politicians in Iraq condemned on Saturday a visit by Iranian General Qassem Soleimani to Shi'ite paramilitary forces fighting alongside the Iraqi army to drive Islamic State militants out of the Sunni city of Falluja.

Three lawmakers from the province of Anbar told Reuters the visit by Iran's al-Quds brigade commander could fuel sectarian tension and cast doubt on Baghdad's assertions that the offensive is an Iraqi-led effort to defeat Islamic State, and not to settle scores with the Sunnis.

Falluja, which lies about 50 kilometers (32 miles) west of Baghdad, is a bastion of the insurgency that fought the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the Shi'ite-led authorities that replaced former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein, a Sunni.

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WNU Editor: This is just one more sign that Iran';s influence in Iraq is growing  .... whether these Iraqi Sunni politicians like it or not.

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