UNITED STATES TAKES SIDES IN IRAQ AGAINST SHIA MAJORITY

Juan Cole in Informed Comment publishes a letter today from Jerry Eagan, a VietNam veteran, in a follow up to the op-ed piece yesterday in the NY Times from the five soldiers in Iraq. This is an important and insightful analysis of the Bush administration's siding with Sunni militias against the Shiite majority in Iraq, and what it means vis-a-vis Iran.

Writes Eagan:

"I'd contend, we've already begun our war against Iran. Arming Sunni tribal sheiks and Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Gulf nations, are the opening rounds of our war with Iran. Bush will do all he can to instigate an Iranian military response. I'd guess, in the near future, sometime this year, if Sunnis begin battling Shia in open militia combat, al-Maliki will ask Iran for Quds Brigade support in the south. Bush won't allow that. He'll intervene, hoping -- hoping -- he can finally precipitate an open military strike against Iran."