But, then maybe it's the optimist in me.
The incredible alliance has now taken place; Bush’s dire vision of the Middle East is truer today than it was before the invasion of Iraq. However, a coalition between Iraq and Iran is not the cause for alarm it might once have been. It is unlikely that Iraq will be militarily and logistically prepared to pose a combined threat, with Iran, to Israel or western states at any point in the near future. In the meantime, Iran may very well have a stabilizing effect on post-Ba’ath Iraq; an ally with religious legitimacy could prove vital in resolving sectarian conflicts. Furthermore, Iran’s positive involvement (and more importantly, investment) in Iraq significantly diminishes the possibility that the two nations will slip back into conflict and reignite regional tension. And as long as the new Iraqi government works in cooperation with the US, Iran would be forced to tone down its anti-American rhetoric in order to create a sustainable alliance with its neighbor.
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