“The lords of war in Washington continue in this way their politics of death. Whoever wants real peace has the responsibility to unmask them and stop them. Whoever wants peace must support the Syria of Assad.”“Califfati made in USA,” Forza Nuova, May 26, 2015, http://www.radiofn.eu/?p=2050#sthash.2PgewjUy.dpuf.

“I think sending our men to fight in Syria was the right decision… Al-Qaida has had a lot of practice in street fighting. If our guys hadn’t gotten the experience in Syria, al-Qaida and ISIS could have taken Baghdad.”“The Fearsome Iraqi Militia Vowing to Vanquish ISIS,” BBC, July 7, 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28199741.

“To those that are defending Iraq in Syria, because they are fighting there the enemies of Iraq, I tell you all. [C]ongratulations for having the honor to fight there. Congratulations for making history.”Sheha Shankar, “Bomb Explodes At An Election Rally For Asaib Ahl al-Haq Group In Baghdad, Iraq, Kills 33 people,” International Business Times, April 26, 2014, http://www.ibtimes.com/bomb-explodes-election-rally-asaib-ahl-al-haq-group-baghdadiraq-kills-33-people-1576797.

Armed militias in Iraq are “fully prepared to respond to any strike on Syria by attacking the interests of the countries that participate in this strike, including the United States.”Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Adam Schreck, “Iraqi officials, militants warn of threat to US,” Associated Press, September 6, 2013, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/iraqi-officials-militants-warn-threat-us.

“[Action against Syria] will set the region on fire. The interests of the Western countries will not be saved from this fire.”“State Dept. orders personnel to leave Lebanon, Turkey,” Al Jazeera, September 6, 2013, http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/9/6/state-departmenturgescitizenstoleavelebanonturkey.html.

“Our existence does not depend on the survival of the Syrian regime. Yet we could be hurt and there might be sectarian strife [if Assad falls].”Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Adam Schreck, “Iraqi Shiite fighters’ Syria role raises tensions,” Associated Press, June 10, 2013, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/iraqi-shiite-fighters-syria-role-raises-tensions.