6/15/2017

FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/MILITARY/SYRIA: “Southern Syria, once the quietest corner of the country’s multisided conflict, has unexpectedly become the most volatile flashpoint between America and Iran as the two countries vie for control.
The U.S. military has moved mobile artillery-rocket launchers into southern Syria for the first time, as American troops in the area face increasing dangers from Iran-backed forces. Iran’s best-known military commander, meanwhile, was photographed praying with allied fighters in Syria, a visit seen by some U.S. officials as a public taunt by Tehran. Worried that the situation may spiral out of control, top U.S. military commanders are pressing Moscow to step in.
‘This is rapidly developing, it’s not settled at all and I don’t even know that there’s a good direction determined yet,’ one U.S. official said. ‘Everybody’s trying to figure out what to do here. It’s in nobody’s interest for us to get into an active fight with these pro-regime forces.’ “

-Dion Nissenbaum, Maria Abi-Habib, “Syria’s Newest Flashpoint Is Bringing U.S. and Iran Face to Face,” The Wall Street Journal online, June 15, 2017 05:30am