Proposed Iraq security pact calms Iran’s concerns, too

While Americans might have been satisfied when Iraq’s Cabinet approved a proposed security agreement on Sunday, Iranian leaders will be thrilled with the consolidation of the Iraqi Shiite government in Baghdad.

Next door to Iraq, Iranians, who had opposed an agreement to withdraw American forces from Iraq by the end of 2011, now are assured that Iraq will not be used to attack them. Even though Iraq is not a Shiite theocracy like Iran, the Iraqi Cabinet’s decision was significantly affected when Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most influential Shiite cleric, signed off on the deal. Read more