Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

[SWJED]

15 February AP - Elite Iranian Corps Enmeshed in Iraq by Lee Keath.

Iran's secretive Quds Force, accused by the United States of arming Iraqi militants with deadly bomb-making material, has built up an extensive network in the war-torn country, recruiting Iraqis and supporting not only Shiite militias but also Shiites allied with Washington.

Still unclear, however, is how closely Iran's top leadership is directing the Quds Force's operations -- and whether Iran has intended for its help to Shiite militias to be turned against U.S. forces.

Iran likely does not want a direct confrontation with American troops in Iraq but is backing militiamen to ensure Shiites win any future civil war with Iraqi Sunnis after the Americans leave, several experts said Thursday.

The Quds Force's role underlines how deeply enmeshed Iran is in its neighbor -- and how the U.S. could face resistance even from its allies in Iraq if it tries to uproot Iran's influence in the country.

The Quds (pronounced "KOHds") Force -- the name means "Jerusalem" in Farsi and Arabic -- is the most elite and covert of Iran's military branches. Over the past two decades, the corps is believed to have helped arm and train the Hezbollah guerrilla group in Lebanon, Islamic fighters in Bosnia and Afghanistan, and even Sudanese troops fighting in south Sudan...

[jonSlack]

Is there any material on whether or not the IRGC is working with the Shia in Afghanistan, like the Shia elements of the Hazaras, or any of the other groups in Afghanistan?

[Van]

Given the Iranian habits/cultural inclinations to what we narrow and linear Westerns would call outrageous exaggeration, has anyone suggested that these "elite" elements may be something like the "unstoppable" and "Iranian" designed underwater rocket (the aging Russian-made Shkval torpedo)? Could this be another media generated tempest in a teacup?

[Bill Moore]

So far we generally have two categories of actors that we frequently refer to when discussing conflicts, which are State Actors and Non-State actors. I am beginning to wonder if it is appropriate to designate a third category called sub-state actors. These are organizations that are allegedly belong to the state, yet also conduct independent operations outside the realm of state control. I'm not they exist, but I think the ISI of Pakistan and the Quds of Iran could be two examples. If true this creates some interesting dilemnas.

As anyone wrote on this subject previously?

Bill

[zenpundit]

"Is there any material on whether or not the IRGC is working with the Shia in Afghanistan, like the Shia elements of the Hazaras, or any of the other groups in Afghanistan?"

That's an excellent question. The Hazara are Mongol-descended Sevener Shia who would be "hereteical" in the eyes of more stringent Iranian Twelver Shia. OTOH, the ruling clique in Syria are Alawites, an even more distant and weird offshoot, yet are nominally considered Shia by Iranian authorities.

I suppose if the Iranians can work with Hekmatyar....

[Van]

Bill, the middle ground between "State" and "Non-State" is "State-Sponsored". This description fits Quds to a tee. The problem is that even state-sponsored has a very wide range, from rogue elements of the state's apparatus to elements that would be considered non-state except that they are wholly funded by one state. Of course, the state involved usually sees an interest in covering the money trail carefully IOT create plausible deniability, and there is always a question of how 'rogue' are those rogue elements (again with the plausible deniability).

[jcustis]

These are organizations that are allegedly belong to the state, yet also conduct independent operations outside the realm of state control. I'm not they exist, but I think the ISI of Pakistan and the Quds of Iran could be two examples. If true this creates some interesting dilemnas.

As anyone wrote on this subject previously?

I've read considerable commentary regarding the ISI and meddling in India, and know there is a book out there that I browsed once. I'll try to hit the Research Center this weekend and dig it up.

[Uboat509]

Bill, the middle ground between "State" and "Non-State" is "State-Sponsored". This description fits Quds to a tee.

I have to disagree with you on this. I suspect that the Quds force falls firmly into the "State" category. Now it may be debatable whether their orders are coming from the religious apparatus or the government but in Iran that is an entirely moot point.

SFC W