Radical Islamists may be applauding once the United States military forces finally retreat from the battlefield in Iraq.

On Sunday, MP Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Walid Sakariya, a senior Hezbollah official, made some startling televised statements about plans to destroy Israel. According to a transcript provided by IMRA, he said:

“Iran is the country most hostile to Israel, but Iraq serves as a buffer between Iran and the Palestine front – from the days of Saddam Hussein and until the U.S. military presence in Iraq. Iran supports the forces of confrontation: Hamas, Hizbullah, and Syria.

If, following the U.S. withdrawal, Iraq becomes a bridge linking Iran to Syria, the Iranian forces could cross Iraq and arrive in Syria, in order to participate in a direct war on the Golan front.

In that case, Israel would not be fighting Hizbullah alone. It would be fighting Hizbullah, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. This is the so-called ‘Shiite Crescent’ that they fear…”