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Iran Said to Send Troops to Bolster Syria
(Wall Street Journal) Farnaz Fassihi - Iran is sending commanders from its Revolutionary Guard Corps and hundreds of foot soldiers to Syria, on top of cash and arms, according to current and former members of the corps. The moves undergird a growing perception that the Syrian regime's military is increasingly strained. "Today we are involved in fighting every aspect of a war, a military one in Syria," Gen. Salar Abnoush, commander of the IRGC's Saheb al-Amr unit, said Monday. On Thursday, Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said if Syria fails to put down the uprising, Iran would send military help based on a mutual defense agreement between the two countries. Iran is now sending hundreds of members of the IRGC and the Basij militia to Damascus, said two people in the IRGC familiar with the movements. Iran is also deploying IRGC commanders to guide Syrian forces in battle strategy and help with military intelligence.