America is conducting close air support for Iranian troops in Iraq. War is Boring.

An Iranian SU-25 in Baghdad. War is Boring/Aviashots

American airplanes are conducting airstrikes in support for Iranian ground troops in Iraq. War is Boring. Originally, Iranian SU-25 Frogfoots were stationed in Iraq as close air support for the Iranian Shia militias fighting in Iraq. The Iranian planes, as well as an order for a squadron of SU-25's and HIND attack helicopters were supposed to make up a reformed Iraqi Air Force but technical problems and general poor performance resulted in Iran withdrawing their jets. Without the Iranian fighters, Shia militias are now completely dependent on the United States for air support. In several battles, including the battle for Jalawlah, the militias have been observed calling in air support by the press. 

My Comment:

This is a major sign of cooperation between Iran and the United States. When it comes to close air support, effective communication is critical. There has to be someone on the ground directing the strikes or it is incredibly easy for the airplanes to hit the wrong targets. It is possible that the CIA or special forces are on the ground working with the Iranian militias. It isn't very likely though. The more plausible situation is that a Iraqi forward air controller is calling in the strikes. Either way the United States and Iran are working together to fight ISIS. 

And that is the most amazing part of this. If you had told me in 2011 that in three years that Iran and the United States would be working together in battle against a common foe I probably would have laughed in your face. If you had told me that the Turks and the Kurds were working together as well I would laugh even harder. And if you told me that President Obama had been as close as he could possibly get to bombing Assad in Syria without actually doing it, only to go into Syria anyways to target Islamic militants while leaving Assad alone I would have been speechless. And if you told me that the enemy in all of these scenarios was the reborn Al-Qaeda in Iraq, long thought defeated, who had managed to take over half of both Syria and Iraq, become the richest terror group in the world, created a semi-functional state and declared a Caliphate, well, I probably would have believed it. In other words, I am not an optimist. This whole situation is insane. Who knows what the world will look like by 2017?