Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Something else we don’t know about Iran

I’ve long thought that we have underestimated how active Iranian operatives are in Iraq. I was reminded of this when I saw an article about how a truckload of 75 IEDs (aka roadside bombs) was intercepted recently southwest of Baghdad. That’s a lot of bombs! Also the article asserts that the shipment was going to ...

By , a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy.
580484_090925_helmet_and_rifle_25.jpg
580484_090925_helmet_and_rifle_25.jpg

I've long thought that we have underestimated how active Iranian operatives are in Iraq. I was reminded of this when I saw an article about how a truckload of 75 IEDs (aka roadside bombs) was intercepted recently southwest of Baghdad. That's a lot of bombs!

I’ve long thought that we have underestimated how active Iranian operatives are in Iraq. I was reminded of this when I saw an article about how a truckload of 75 IEDs (aka roadside bombs) was intercepted recently southwest of Baghdad. That’s a lot of bombs!

Also the article asserts that the shipment was going to al Qaeda in Iraq. This is not good for two reasons: 1. Iran helping al Qaeda — I’ve heard of this before, but not heard a lot about it lately, and 2. AQI still exists? 

JOHN MOORE/AFP/Getty Images

Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1

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