From the This Will Never Come Back to Bite Us Department

[Doktor Howl]

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/22/19615653-al-qaeda-prison-break-hundreds-of-militants-flee-iraqs-notorious-abu-ghraib-jail?lite

[Cain]

The deadly raid on the high-security jail happened as Sunni Muslim militants are re-gaining momentum in their insurgency against the Shiite-led government that came to power after the U.S. invasion to oust Saddam Hussein.

Boy, they'd be useful (if entirely untrustworthy) assets, if America and it's Gulf allies were waging a covert war against Iranian influence in the region or something.

[Doktor Howl]

The deadly raid on the high-security jail happened as Sunni Muslim militants are re-gaining momentum in their insurgency against the Shiite-led government that came to power after the U.S. invasion to oust Saddam Hussein.

Boy, they'd be useful (if entirely untrustworthy) assets, if America and it's Gulf allies were waging a covert war against Iranian influence in the region or something.

Wow, Cain, every time I chide myself for being a cynic, you come along and make me feel like I fell of the turnip truck right before lunch time.

[Cain]

 

Well, I've been reading about our collusion with Islamic extremists over the last century, which is enough to make anyone cynical.  There is no-one in the Middle East with too much blood on their hands for us to refuse to work for them....well, anyone except leftist nationalist types, of course.  They might nationalise oil companies!

We'll back Shiites against Sunnis and Sunnis against Shiites and I wouldn't be surprised if in 30 years time, Iran was our ally again and Saudi Arabia were our foe.  Because the only constant we want in the Middle East is a constant state of chaos, a "balance of power" which benefits Western oil-fuelled financial elites by preventing any one nation from being powerful enough to eject foreign influence from the Middle East.

Hell, we put up with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan's constant bullshit, so why not Al-Qaeda as well?  If anything, they're a useful dagger at the throat of the House of Saud, if needed, and a bargaining chip if not.  Assuming the Saudis themselves aren't courting them, that is.

[Cain]

And it's worth remembering that Al-Qaeda in Iraq merged directly with the Syrian al-Nusra. 

The only real question is are they destined to hop the border to try and take on Assad, or will this mark an escalation in the fight for influence in Iraq?

[LMNO]

When Cain posts, I learn new things, which I did not know I did not know.

I really need to read more things.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Gotta love how the prison was symbolically shut down for a minute.