U.S. wary as Iran, Russia step up Iraq role

By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times - Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The visit to Iraq this week by new Joint Chiefs of Staff head Gen. Joseph Dunford comes at a pivotal moment for the Obama administration’s tacit strategy of cooperating with Iranian proxies against the Islamic State in the nation, even as officials in Baghdad claimed a key oil refinery had been retaken from the jihadi forces on Tuesday.

Gen. Dunford, a Marine, made no public mention of Iran’s role during his stops in Baghdad and Irbil. But he appeared eager to show Washington’s commitment to the fight at a time when Russia — a key ally of Iran — is wooing Iraq as the new go-to international partner against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL.

Speaking with reporters Tuesday on his first trip into the war zone since taking his new post three weeks ago, Gen. Dunford said he sees no immediate prospect for Russia, which is carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria over the past month, to expand its campaign into Iraq.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/20/us-wary-as-iran-russia-step-up-iraq-role/