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Ray-SoCa's avatar

More expensive than the coup in Ukraine?

“likely the most expensive covert CIA war in US history”

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Robert Fausti's avatar

It was part of the reason. Most of the Bush strategy was multi-effect oriented. Isolate the Iranians, ensure US oil interests and help gain access to new oil resources. Protract and expand Israel capabilities in the region.

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Robert Fausti's avatar

Yes, Operation "Timber Sycamore" was a demented neocons dream. The other piece of the pie is this. Syria and Iran were/are allies. Their air defense grids were/are tied in. That means if The Israelis tried to conduct a sneak attack on IRAN, that it would be extremely hard to do because the Iranians would be forewarned by the Syrians. So, get rid of the Syrians and the Israelis would have a green lights to attack across unopposed airspace of a friendly Syria and IRAQI (US controlled) fly zone. This is one of the reasons that the Israelis never attacked Iran in the past. It will be interesting to see how things develop, now that the situation has evolved in the last 6 months.

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Apr 14, 2024
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Mark Wauck's avatar

I don't think so. I believe it was because at that time--2003--Israel regarded him as the most dangerous Arab leader and one who was seeking nukes. The rest, of course, is history. We did as instructed by the Israelis and Iran was the big winner.

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Apr 14, 2024
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Mark Wauck's avatar

yes

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Apr 14, 2024
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AmericanCardigan's avatar

Love your sarcasm Cass!

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Mark Wauck's avatar

They thought that Iraq was the nation most likely to become a regional power in competition with Israel.

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ML's avatar

Unspeakably degenerate foreign policy, and it has led to our own decline and fall.

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dissonant1's avatar

Gosh, where are those terrorist groups when you really need them? What could have possibly gone wrong?

https://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-cia-pentagon-isis-20160327-story.html

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Hal's avatar

Scouting in your neck of the woods? And mine?

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