Nir Rosen’s got a lengthy post over at the Washington Note that takes aim at the gathering narrative framework for Iran’s involvement in Iraq. Rosen is an extremely sharp, Arab-speaking observer who has spent most of the past five years in Iraq, and the piece comes with the imprimatur of Steve Clemon’s site. His arguments about both American policy in Iraq and our broader regional strategy are both provocative and thought-provoking, even if I suspect they are ultimately unlikely to significantly move the lines of debate for being so far outside the common wisdom. That’s not to say he’s wrong. I don’t agree with everything he says, but as an extreme challenge to the fundamental structure of how we understand the conflict over there, I think it’s worth reading. Whether you support or oppose the War, the Surge, and military confrontation with Iran, the points Rosen raises will probably make you think about the issues in a new way.
