US, Iran, and Afghanistan Foreign Policy (part 2)

The Taliban was lightly supported by Iran despite their antipathy for them. A Senate Armed Services committee in March of 2011, sequestered General David Petraeus as to the role played by Iran. He testified that the weapons, training, and funding were in measured amounts to the Taliban insurgents through the Qods force (which included an intercepted shipment of 122mm rockets)-it was enough to overcome coalition soldiers, but would make it more difficult for them. Iran is working to expand it's influence on Post-American Afghanistan beyond the Shiite area. In the name of influence peddling, they have been reported as having made payments in cash to top Afghan officials (from senior advisors to President Karzai). Visits were made to Kabul (from President Ahmadinejad) in March 2010, followed by a visit to Tehran by President Karzai in August 2010, resulting in other Iranian officials traveling to Afghanistan (including force commander General Qassem Soleimani-end result is diplomatic relations. A mutual meeting between Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi and his Afghan counterpart, the first such visit in 92 years is setting the stage for Iranian influence within the post American withdrawal of Afghanistan. Iran has been cooperating with India and Russia. During the post Afghan period there were three countries that supported the Northern Alliance in opposition to the Pakistani and Saudi Arabian supported Taliban forces. Countering the Pakistani dominance of Afghan trade routes, Iran and India built a 220-kilometer road from Delaram in Nimroz to Zaranj in Iran to connect Iran's chabar port in the Indian ocean. Funded by india, it provides an alternate route to Pakistan for overland trade when it is completed. Trilateral agreements between Iran and India were looking into their future policies. US pressure on India has impeded Indo-Iranian cooperation in Afghanistan which also caused Indian support for US sanctions on Iran, and delays to the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. Because of opposite purposes during the Afghan Indian War, they have the same interest for molding Afghanistan after the US troop pullout. Enlarging relations, economic ties, and regional stability is what the neighboring countries around Afghanistan want. A meeting in Islamabad in February 2012 with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai (third trilateral summit-held by these countries since 2009). The US is opposing the constructing of an oil pipeline that connects Iran and Pakistan. US weakness in the region would benefit Tehran-influencing a strategic outcome (by delegitimizing and undermmining the American role). On the other hand Iran has the world's worst heroin problem (60 percent of Iranian heroin is sourced from Afghan poppy), and a growing HIVS-AIDS problem. The pressure of American and international sanctions coupled with their refugee problems causes an intense strain on the country. The division of Hazara or the win in influence over Afghan Turcomans and Tajiks caused by Iran makes the Afghan government cautious. Defacto sanctuaries are still being given to Afghan insurgents by Pakistan. There is no realistic plan by the US for the transition in Afghanistan during 2012-2014 and beyond, deteriorating relations with Pakistan and no clear policy for a future role in Central Asia. These are the issues that the US has to address if they plan on competing with Iran.