Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the nation's top military officer told a Senate committee the civil war in Syria is having a destabilizing effort on western Iraq. He also noted the longer Assad stays in power the probability of Hezbollah acquiring advanced weaponry from Russia increases.
SEN. GRAHAM: If this war in Syria keeps going on and Assad's still in power a year from now, what effect would it have on Iraq?
GEN. DEMPSEY: It's already destabilizing western Iraq.
SEN. GRAHAM: Iraq would be -- just begin to fall apart at a faster rate -- do you agree with that -- because it's destabilizing the country?
GEN. DEMPSEY: That would certainly be a possible scenario.
SEN. GRAHAM: From the Israelis' point of view, the likelihood of Hezbollah getting Russian-made advanced weapons if he's still in power a year from now -- does that go up or down?
GEN. DEMPSEY: From the Israeli standpoint, up.
SEN. GRAHAM: Yeah. From Israel's standpoint, one of the worst nightmares for them short of an Iranian nuclear weapon would be Hezbollah getting advanced weapons sold to Assad by Russia, and that likelihood would go up if he's still in power a year from now?
GEN. DEMPSEY: Yes.