Robert Baer: Thank Iran For Surge Success

You won’t hear John McCain say this, but ex-CIA guy Robert Baer does. Iran has been a key to the Surge’s success because Iran is behind the Shia militia stand-down in Iraq. Baer says this and more in a Fresh Air interview about his new book on Iran. Other significant pronouncements: an October Surprise attack on Iran would lead to a 30-year war that would make our adventure in Iraq look like “a walk in the park.” Baer also thinks Osama bin Laden is dead.

Follow the link for a podcast or audio stream. Here’s the blurb:

In his new book, The Devil We Know, former CIA operative Robert Baer argues that Iran is an up-and-coming — and often misunderstood — superpower, with strong influences throughout the Middle East.

“The sooner we understand the Iranian paradox — who they are, what they want, how they want to both humble us and work with us — the sooner we’ll understand how to come to terms with the new Iranian superpower,” writes Baer.

Baer’s previous book, See No Evil, was the basis for the George Clooney film Syriana.

See the NPR page to read the proluge to Baer’s new book.