Their Brand Is Chaos

From the Tehran Times:

Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani on Wednesday condemned a proposal to deploy Arab forces in the Gaza Strip.

“This move is (aimed at) ensuring the security of Israel, not at restoring the rights of the oppressed Palestinian nation,” Larijani told an open session of parliament

A plan has been proposed by some Arab states, led by Egypt, to deploy Arab forces in the Gaza Strip, allegedly to end to clashes between rival Palestinian factions, mainly Hamas and Fatah.

Various Palestinian groups have vociferously rejected the idea, saying it is a new plot meant to perpetuate the Israeli occupation and undermine the Palestinian resistance.

Last week, Laijani had a telephone conversation with Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya to discuss the issue.

Haniya criticized the Arab League for pursuing the interests of the Zionist regime rather than Palestine’s during the phone call.

Larijani--Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's most likely opponent in next year's presidential campaign--is sending two slightly obvious messages here to his would-be constituents: 1. as president, he will not allow the 'Zionists' to conspire against Muslims in Palestine, and 2. any act of unified, Arab aggression towards Iranian allies will not be tolerated.

Since its inception, the Islamic Republic has always been eager and willing to ferment chaos beyond their own borders. Such a joint-Arab action on the part of Arab states, theoretically, could lay the foundation for a regional defense force. Worse yet for Tehran, if said force proves itself adept at maintaining stability in the region, the model could then be applied elsewhere (Iraq, anyone?).

As long as Iran can keep regional focus on the Israelis, it makes their mischievous behavior in Palestine and beyond a little more tolerable. Hamas and PIJ, from an Arab state perspective, can target Israelis as much as they'd like. However, once those Iranian surrogates start exchanging fire with Arab forces in Gaza, the whole dynamic alters.

Think this is farfetched? Keep in mind, one of the driving forces behind last year's Annapolis conference was the regional concern over a more ambitious and hegemonic Iran. If Arab nations find the ability to join forces and address the Palestinian crisis, it might weaken Iran's standing in the Middle East.

Larijani, in not quite so many words, has given his full stamp of approval to chaos.