MENL: "Iran, Syria seek interoperability"

The revised Axis of Evil--Syria, Iran, and North Korea--really is a functioning axis:

Iran and Syria have launched an effort to ensure military interoperability.

Western intelligence sources said the effort was meant to ensure that the two militaries could coordinate attacks, share information and launch joint ground and missile operations. They said the effort began in 2005 and was formalized in a defense cooperation accord signed last November.

"The effort is being financed by Iran and is meant to ensure that a U.S. attack on Iran would be countered by attacks on the U.S. military presence in Iraq from both east and west," a source said.

The sources said Damascus and Teheran have invested in efforts to make their missile batteries interoperable. Iran and Syria operate medium-range Scud-class ballistic missiles, with weapons jointly produced.

Tags: Iran, Syria, interoperability, Axis of Evil