Al-Monitor Discovers Iran Has Regional Influence
Al-Monitor reports Iran is 'banking on Iraq vote to retain regional influence' after its 'Iran-backed groups' like Hamas and Hezbollah supposedly 'suffer heavy losses at Israel's hands.' This framing conveniently skips a few decades. Iran's influence in Iraq didn't just materialize post-October 7th, nor is it based solely on 'militant' groups. The US invasion in 2003 shattered the Iraqi state,
creating a power vacuum meticulously filled by Iranian-aligned political parties and militias who now dominate the government, infrastructure, and security forces. This isn't newfound leverage; it's the enduring political reality born from a catastrophic occupation. Suggesting Iran's influence is now at stake because of events in Gaza implies this is a new, fragile development. One might wonder if
the media prefers to ignore the messy, long-term consequences of US foreign policy, opting instead for a simpler narrative where regional power struggles begin and end with Israel's latest military campaign. How many times must we pretend that what's 'new' to Western media is new in the region? And how many civilians need to die for Western analysts to connect their dots?