The Biden Amendment passed !

[kentuck]

Unbelievable! What does it mean? How do they partition Iraq? What does General Petraeus think?

[flpoljunkie]

1. It's a nonbinding resolution, is it not?

[jillan]

4. meaning - we will not force the Iraqis to do this.

[RDANGELO]

9. It's happening anyways.

If we help facilitate it, that could mean less bloodshed.

[jillan]

10. exactly!

[jillan]

2. It is up to the UN

Biden already met with the UN - they like it.

[dipsydoodle]

3. They managed to do so with India and Pakistan

60 years ago. So - what's the issue ?

Sorry - meant to ask if you had any sort of link ?

[Purveyor]

5. Ummmm....wouldn't the Iraqi gov't want some say in this and by what authority does the US have in

partitioning any sovereign nation?

[jillan]

8. First of all - it is IN their constitution, Biden wrote this legislation along

with Gelb from their constitution.

2nd - it is non-binding meaning the Iraqis don't have to adopt it.

[kad7777]

6. Gotta give Joe credit

He's a bulldog when he believes.

[PatSeg]

12. You know it took a lot behind the scenes negotiating

to get this passed. Biden has been a busy guy. This was so exciting!

[gateley]

7. General who?? nt

[LiberalEsto]

11. To paraphrase Julius Caesar:

Persia est omnis divisa in partes tres.

[bdamomma]

13. never mind about Petreaus how about how the Iraqis feel about it?

walls being erected??? I don't think they will be happy about that, if that is what this is all about.

[jillan]

14. Walls erected? Do you really not know anything about this bill?

[bdamomma]

15. sorry clue me in.

was this about partitioning the factions of people Sunni, Shia and Kurds.

[PatSeg]

17. The amendment would be similar to the United States

early democracy.

"There is no purely military solution to the sectarian civil war. The only way to break the vicious cycle of violence - and to create the conditions for our armed forces to responsibly withdraw -- is to give Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds incentives to pursue their interests peacefully. That requires an equitable and viable power sharing arrangement. That's where Joe Biden's plan comes in. This plan is not partition - in fact, it may be the only way to prevent violent partition and preserve a unified Iraq. This plan is consistent with Iraq's constitution, which provides for Iraq's 18 provinces to join together in regions, with their own security forces, and control over most day-to-day issues. This plan is the only idea on the table for dealing with the militia, which are likely to retreat to their respective regions. This plan is consistent with a strong central government, with clearly defined responsibilities. Indeed, it provides an agenda for that government, whose mere existence will not end sectarian violence.

The example of Bosnia is illustrative. Ten years ago, Bosnia was being torn apart by ethnic cleansing. The United States stepped in decisively with the Dayton Accords to keep the country whole by, paradoxically, dividing it into ethnic federations. We even allowed Muslims, Croats and Serbs to retain separate armies. With the help of U.S. troops and others, Bosnians have lived a decade in peace. Now, they are strengthening their central government, and disbanding their separate armies."

http://www.joebiden.com/issues/?id=0009

[bdamomma]

25. thanks for the information.

[PatSeg]

26. You're welcome

I wish I could explain the comparison to the formation of our democracy adequately, but I would probably screw it up. I'm just now acquiring a new appreciation for the history of our country.

[Steve_in_California]

21. No walls . . . no forcing this on the Iraqis

If you heard Ambassador Crocker's testimony you would know that Iraqis are moving away from central power and toward shared power under federalism. 100,000 Iraqis per month are fleeing their homes to return to the sectarian regions within Iraq that have existed for 1400 years. Iraqis have been blocked in the efforts by President Bush. The Biden amendment will go far toward removing the barrier of U.S. opposition to what Iraqis have wanted since the end of the First World War.

[jillan]

23. And the UN will be in charge of presenting this to the Iraqis,

Yes!

Finally, the first step out of Iraq has been taken.

[Froward69]

27. actual self determination

Gotta love it... I get a furry/giddy feeling when peoples are allowed to do what they want! instead of other nations telling them what to do... bush/cheney are pissed about now.

[zulchzulu]

16. Follow the money on the Production Sharing Agreements (PSA)

Somewhere buried in the story is how Hunt Oil, Exxon, British Petroleum, Conoco and other oil companies are going to suck up the oil and "distribute" the profits to the Iraqis, who will be told where to move "for their own good".

Mi$$ion motherfucking accompli$hed...

:thumbsdown:

[Old and In the Way]

18. Bingo.

A strong, centralized government would resist the PSA. A balkanized Iraq will have no choice but to play along with Big Oil. Big Oil wins....the intent all along was to break the national state of Iraq to grab their $100 Trillion dollars of oil reserves. Congratulations, Joe, what a proud day to be an American.

[Froward69]

28. nay sayer

careful peace might break out.

[jillan]

19. So where was Obama on this? He was there and didn't vote.

If your claim is true, then why didn't your candidate get up on the Senate floor and make a case to vote against it?

Why didn't he go on the record?
Yay or Nay.

Nope - it's easier to sit it out.

[Steve_in_California]

20. Obama's egoecentrism is showing

It's a disease he caught from Oprah.

[PatSeg]

22. He is over handled

He is undoubtedly getting too much advice and not listening to his own convictions.

[Steve_in_California]

24. Admiral Fallon is the boss . . .

And he thinks Petraeus is, to quote the Admiral, "an ass-kissing little chicken-shit" for not having the backbone to stand up to the President and tell the American people that the surge is proving to be another in a string of terrible mistakes.