Is splitting Iraq up the only option?

[ButterflyBlood]

I say so. Historically, Iraq is not a "real" nation. It was created by British territorialists, and there is no historical context for its boundaries. It contains many different groups, and the only way to keep order in the past was to rule with an iron fist a la the British or Saddam. A stable democratic Iraq in the current boundaries is not possible. We need to split it into a Sunni nation, a Shiite one, and a Kurdish one. We've already seen what happens when you put groups who don't get along in the same nation. It's Israel. It doesn't work very well.

[JohnnyRingo]

1. It used to be "Divide and conquer"

Leave it to the NeoCons to screw even that up.

[two gun sid]

2. Turkey might not like

that independent Kurdish nation on her border.

[Mojambo]

3. I believe so

Chop it up man. I know it will probably make that region even more unstable in the long run but man... There comes a point where you gotta get hip to the fact that these cats aren't going to be sharing a pad.

They aren't cool with each other.

[aquart]

4. Maybe Iraq should decide that, not us.

[Mojambo]

5. Well, the guy in brain surgery usually isn't making any decisions

But yes, in principle I agree.

<on edit>

It occurs to me that having the guy who PUT you in brain surgery make your decisions might not be the wisest course either.

I submit that the United Nations might be of use here.

[Chipper Chat]

6. Too late for that.

Iraq is the 51st state. Why? Because Shrub says so.

[blurp]

7. Yep, because democracy doesn't solve everything.

There are all sorts of ways people want to live their lives. Simple democracy just means the biggest group gets it's way, screw the rest. It's no panacea.

Dividing up the country means smaller groups get to decide for themselves what sort of country they want.

[Historic NY]

8. That could be a problem for the region......instability breeds instability

since they are all tribes of one faction or another. The end result is going to be Civl War amongst themselves. Hello Washington, we have a big problem here.

[LynnTheDem]

9. How about the option of letting the IRAQIS decide for themselves?

WOW.

RADICAL concept!

[Stella_Artois]

10. Shhhhh

Don't let arrogant Americans think that they actually don't have the right to tell other countries what to do with themselves. It might offend their sense of self importance.

[LynnTheDem]

11. Oops my bad.

Unfortunately I didn't grow up in America, so I lost that self-important arrogance thingie.

:D

[Bridget Burke]

12. If that's what the Iraqis want--let them do it.

It's not for us or any other countries to draw new lines on the map.