Middle East Focus: Iranian-American Border Wars............

Arabia Deserta

Iranian-American Border Wars............

“Where Iraqi officials envision a bustling tourist hub that will bring jobs and investment, U.S. officials see another potential foothold for Iran, which already provides electricity and water to the Iraqi border station. Once the last mines are cleared, a tedious and dangerous undertaking, al Sheeb crossing will open for tourists. The Americans aren't sure that the Iraqi infrastructure or border force is ready for such a massive influx and the accompanying security concerns……. For now, the crossing is open only to Iraqi-driven cargo trucks, which can enter Iran for a few hours at a time, long enough to load up on cement or bricks and then re-enter Iraq, passing through a series of inspections and X-ray machines. The Americans get suspicious when a truck returns empty; they wonder what the driver was up to on the other side of the border. The soldiers said that both sides used the Iraqi truck drivers as informants. In January, Dorado said, U.S. troops noticed a surveillance drone hovering above their camp in broad daylight. The Americans checked with their command and were told that no U.S. drones were in the area. They realized it was an Iranian aircraft spying on their post, a rare provocation. The drone stayed overhead for a few minutes and then left. "Of course we waved," Dorado said with a grin. "We gave them the one-finger salute."..……… Every time progress stalls at al Sheeb, Iran steps in to help, to the Americans' consternation. They're sure that the assistance will be repaid with lucrative contracts for Iranian investors and tourism companies, including a bus service that's operated by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. "There's a lot of soft Iranian influence here through utilities. Now we have water and electricity that's Iranian, so you have another country providing utilities. What does that say about sovereignty?" Dorado said. "Yes, there will be economic benefit in the future, but at what expense?"……….”

Unless the Ba'ath manages somehow to take power, the Iran-Iraq tourist industry will thrive, just as it used to before the Ba'athists took over. There is no way to keep the trade an the tourism out. Arab states and Saudi Arabia do not produce many things that they can export to Iraq, they are largely importers themselves. I can't see a thriving Saudi tourist trade with Iraq unless all the Wahhabi convert to Shi'ism, or Iraqis start opening a lot of nightclubs and cat houses of the type that now pulls pious conservative Saudi tourists to places like Beirut and Cairo.
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