I heard Sen Joe Biden articulate recently on CNN a very reasonable PLAN for Iraq. It is neither 'Stay the Course' nor 'Cut and Run'. It won't make anybody really happy but, we are way past that point anyway. Still it is a reasonable and workable plan. It consists of allowing Iraq to continue as one country while separating into 3 or more regions (states).

This is similar to a plan that was imposed on Bosnia over their own objections, and it is holding today though there are still skirmishes. One region to the north consisting of the Kurds already exists. One region to the south more or less exists. A region to the West consisting of the Sunnis could also exist but it has no oil as does the other 2 regions. Concessions would have to be made to allow a percentage of oil revenues to go to the Sunnis (instead of to Big Oil). Joe Biden says that the Sunnis came back to the negotiating table because of this possibility.

In addition, and here is the real catch, a strong and UN enforceable (perhaps militarily) resolution ordering Syria, Iran and Turkey to stay out and refrain from interfering in the country would have to be in effect. This would allow for a withdrawal of US troops with some sense of success.

Yes, there would still be infighting at state borders but faction leaders would have an incentive to put some checks on this and may in the procees reduce the massive death tolls now taking place. They may indeed promote interstate trade. It would become the responsibility of the UN peacekeeping forces to assist in this enforcement of borders, not the US.

Anybody with eyes can see that Civil War already exists in Iraq. None of this 'on the brink' crap, that ship has sailed. How could this plan be any worse when it could save American soldiers lives? I don't want my children drafted, do you?

Lastly, James Baker is getting ready to propose some kind of partition plan any way. WHY DON'T WE DEMOCRATS NOT ALLOW THE BARBARIAN BUSHITES TO STEAL OUR THUNDER. BY COMING OUT WITH OUR OWN PLAN FIRST, WE SHOW THE WORLD, AND THE ELECTORATE THAT WE ARE THE PARTY MOST CAPABLE OF PUTTING AMERICA BACK ON ITS FEET.

Nothing else will work in that region except forcibly separatiing the people who want to kill each other and offering something better. Perhaps we should just go with something more draconian like separating the men from the women for a generation or two so that more terrorists are not created!!!

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