The Jerusalem Post’s Barry Rubin has a must-read piece on the implications of recent events in the Middle East: War Against America.

Something remarkable has happened, even by the Middle East’s usual standards. For the first time in history states in the region are conducting a systematic, covert war against the United States.

The question is, what can America do about it? Not much.

The war is being conducted in Iraq, mainly by Iran, but also by Syria. In both cases, evidence indicates that:
Groups are being encouraged to attack and kill Americans in Iraq.

Recruitment of terrorists is being freely allowed, as is their training, financing, arming, and transport to the Iraqi border, where they are permitted to cross over to wage war on the US.

In Iran, citizens are being used in a war against the US in order to destabilize and try to take over Iraq.

To some extent, Teheran exercises influence over the forces of Muqtada al-Sadr, who has repeatedly set off fighting with the coalition forces. While the exact extent of Iranian involvement can be debated, the fact that it exists on a large scale is clear.

Let there be no mistake: This is a major development and sets a dangerous precedent for the future.

Read it all, for it is scary.