Posted on 08/12/2014 6:15:50 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
We must go back into Iraq. Then when we leave, we must not leave an Iraq.
In the immediate aftermath of the 2003 invasion, there were two strategic errors. The first was when the Americans took down the US flag in Baghdad. In some American stores the sign says: "If you break it, you own it." We broke Iraq, but then we refused to own it – we refused to raise our flag and say: "It's our responsibility now if your power doesn't work or someone tries to rob you."
The second great error is the one that's really coming to haunt us now: we decided to preserve the territorial integrity and unity of Iraq. Iraq was formed in the early 20th century from three Ottoman provinces: Mosul, Baghdad and Basra. Broadly these areas have continued to have significantly different identities, with only the brutality of Saddam Hussein maintaining order. After we removed him, there was immediately a debate as to whether Iraq should be preserved as one country or, instead, broken into three zones: a Kurdish area in the north, a Shia area in the south and a Sunni area in the centre and the west.
De facto some of this did happen – indeed had already happened shortly after the 1990-91 war. The Kurds established an enclave in the north, protected from the Iraqi military after 1991 by a no-fly zone. After the 2003 war we could have recognised a Kurdish state, and since at that point Iraq would have been being broken up anyway we might naturally have gone on to separate Sunni and Shia areas, also. But we never recognised a Kurdistan because of the Turks.
The Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Turkey, comprising around a fifth of the population.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...
This will break our bank...
I say we let Joe Biden draw the lines when it gets divided into three parts. After all, we want this job done right ...
RE: This will break our bank...
We have no choice. You pay now or you pay much more later, when the caliphate occupies parts of Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.
“You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.” (Leon Trotsky)
Uh, Iraq is already broken.
Biden was correct.
RE: Uh, Iraq is already broken.
Yes, so, why pretend we have Iraq? Divide the country in three and let each sect be its own country.
fait accompli.
Saddam Hussein ruled with an iron fist for a reason. 3 warring factions that hate each other. Should’ve been 3 states from the beginning decades ago.
Oh, calm down. It’s already broken up practically speaking. It’s natural, normal, good and was expected. Post-tribal societies always go to federation of states. A central republic is last. The Kurds, the State Dept. and many of us who were there knew this in 2006. But the Sunnis and Shia believed in a winner-take-all republic ala Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath ruler ship. Unfortunately, GWB agreed. Big mistake George. You should never have compromised with failure. Under the Iraqi constitution the republic could never work. We all knew this.
I welcome the demise of the Iraqi republic. It reinforces our efforts in Iraq. Our accomplishments. Thank God it only lasted 5 years, before another Saddam emerged.
The defacto federated states will be far more stable than a republic. They will be more prosperous and Iraq as a whole will be able to develop and advance much faster than a via a contentions republic. Strong states, weak federal government. They will prosper and develop. And we need to be there with them as they do! They all trust us more than each other. We are noble and this is our calling. Rise.
RE: The Kurds
They are proving so far, to be the only adults in this group. They need to be armed so that they can protect themselves.
AND THEN, give them independence!
“You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.”
That is a good quote. I will have to remember it.
“The Kurds are proving so far, to be the only adults in this group. They need to be armed so that they can protect themselves.”
That is true and Obama has refused to do so after lots of broken promises.
If borders don’t matter in the US...why the heck would they matter in Iraq?
Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step, and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it (Islam) has vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.” "
:-} Could you tell me how the US “divides Iraq in 3”?
They are our only friends in that country.
Broken up? It never should have been put together in the first place! Silly Brits...
Blind squirrel but I’m afraid you’re right. You can’t cobble together something which doesn’t want to be unified and, indeed, hates each other.
Winston Churchill said that about World War I, I believe. As true now as it was then.
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