American weapons transferred by Iran’s Quds Force-associated militias from Iraq to Syria

November 2015

Recently I have received news from Syria over the dispatch of Iraqi militias to Syria in order to provide support for Bashar Assad, all under orders from the Iranian regime. These units have transferred all their American-made equipment, HUMVEE vehicles and Abrams main battle tanks to Syria. Reports also indicate that a certain amount of this equipment has been captured by the Free Syrian Army in recent battles around Aleppo.

U.S. forces have been informed of this matter and warned Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to prevent the transfer of American-made weapons by militias to Syria, incoming reports show.

Militia groups in Iraq enjoy such authority that al-Abadi literally has no hegemony over them and Hadi al-Ameri, a known militia ringleader of Iran in Iraq, is known to be in command of all Shiite militia groups in the country. These groups are all completely loyal to Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Following these reports Prime Minister al-Abadi warned al-Ameri to prevent the transfer of American weapons and equipment belonging to the Iraqi army and police to Syria. Militia groups in the war in Syria need weapons and equipment, and this ordinance are similar to those placed at their disposal in Iraq, al-Ameri said in response.

As you see the situation on the ground is very complex. On one hand we have Washington announcing the delivery of American weapons and equipment to strengthen the Syrian opposition. On the other hand Iraqi militia groups, under orders issued by the Iranian regime and Quds Force, are seen transferring American weapons and equipment belonging to the Iraqi army and police, to Syria in order to be used in their battle against forces opposing Assad that have American made weapons.

This difficult and multi-faceted situation is the result of U.S. President Barack Obama lacking any specific policy or strategy facing the Middle East dilemma, and the fact that he is seeking to continue “leading from behind” to not pay any price for America’s wrong policies and the end results left from his predecessor’s term. The Iranian regime’s saber-rattling in the Middle East, its meddling in other countries and the export of terrorism – resulting in the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria – is the outcome of 7 years of Mr. Obama’s policy of inaction in the region.

Mr. Obama, considering the nuclear agreement with the Iranian regime his biggest achievement, and actually believing he would be able to convince the Iranian regime to implement reforms after this agreement and thwart Tehran’s meddling in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other Gulf countries, has seen everything turnout lopsided. Through the money released after the nuclear agreement the Iranian regime has been able to pursue its policy of exporting terrorism to other countries more aggressively.

The Iranian regime is implementing pressure on the Iraqi government through militia groups in order to obtain American weapons and equipment under the pretext of the war against ISIS. Subsequently, these ordinance are transferred militants in Iraq to Syria for the war against Assad’s opposition and the Free Syrian Army. Mr. Obama deserves to be congratulated in this regard.