The policies and actions of Iraq's neighbors greatly influence its
stability and prosperity. No country in the region wants a chaotic
Iraq. Yet Iraq's neighbors are doing little to help it, and some are
undercutting its stability. Iraqis complain that neighbors are
meddling in their affairs. When asked which of Iraq's neighbors are
intervening in Iraq, one senior Iraqi official replied, "All of them."
The situation in Iraq is linked with events in the region. U.S.
efforts in Afghanistan have been complicated by the overriding focus
of U.S. attention and resources on Iraq. Several Iraqi, U.S., and
international officials commented to us that Iraqi opposition to the
United States--and support for Sadr--spiked in the aftermath of
Israel's bombing campaign in Lebanon. The actions of Syria and Iran in
Iraq are often tied to their broader concerns with the United States.
Many Sunni Arab states are concerned about rising Iranian influence in
Iraq and the region. Most of the region's countries are wary of U.S.
efforts to promote democracy in Iraq and the Middle East.