Another senior foreign relations expert applauds Biden's plan for Iraq

[jillan]

Daniel Gallington: Federalizing Iraq makes sense for U.S. and Iraq


WASHINGTON (Map, News) - President Bush should take a serious look at Sen. Joe Biden’s proposal for a workable “solution” in Iraq, including at least looking for common ground with it.

Biden’s idea is simple: that Iraq be divided into “regions” along religious lines — he doesn’t call it a “partition” but it is the functional equivalent — similar to the solution that has worked reasonably well in Bosnia.

Even if it worked half as well, it could get our country united and behind a nearer-term resolution of the chaos that has become the war in Iraq. Perhaps just as important — the plan also allows for the longer-term protection of key U.S. interests in the region......

..............As it becomes clearer that the warring factions in Iraq are simply incapable of a comprehensive political settlement, Bush should evaluate alternative policies that accomplish our primary national security objectives in the region. With some minor adjustments, the Biden plan does that rather neatly.

entire comments at
http://www.examiner.com/a-730656~Daniel_Gallington__Federalizing_Iraq_makes_sense_for_U_S__and_Iraq.html

Who is Daniel Gallington?
http://www.potomacinstitute.org/aboutus/staff/gallington.htm

Daniel J. Gallington is a Senior Fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Arlington, Virginia. At Potomac he leads and supports various national security policy studies related to intelligence, special operations, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, homeland defense and security, including projects related to the dynamics between technology, privacy and national security.

[jillan]

1. kickin' for Joe

[justinrr1]

2. It is definitely the best plan

Now its time for the rest of America to realize it.

[ConsAreLiars]

3. Hey, Biden agrees with the neocons that destroying Iraq is the goal and

will best serve Corporate power and Israeli strategic interests, as defined by the fascists currently in power there. Good for him?
What a whore!

http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh03092006.html

"The fact is that the neocons who control U.S. strategy have no interest in preventing a civil war but only in inciting one. Sectarian tensions were virtually unknown in Iraq before the U.S. invasion. And in fact the Iraqi Shia fought loyally as Iraqis against Iranian Shia in the disastrous Iran-Iraq war. So to avoid an Iraqi civil war, the most important step is to get all the U.S. troops home and thus to terminate U.S. provocations. For it is now crystal clear that the neocon strategy is one of civil war to divide and destroy Iraq; and such a strategy amounts to a crime against humanity."

[jillan]

4. Huh?!

Biden does NOT want Iraq destroyed. He does NOT agree with this administration.
He has been one of the most outspoken members of the Senate AGAINST this war.
He is trying to find a solution, one that will allow us to leave and not ever have to go back.

Will his plan work? Who knows.
Do the Iraqi people want this? Who knows.

But what I do know is that there are many foreign relations experts that believe Biden's strategy is the way to go.

http://planforiraq.com/praise
Check it out.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Is Sen. Biden gonna load up the moving trucks?

so to help move those Iraqi families that will have to be relocated from the land that they have owned for generations to a place designated for them by the American Government?

[jillan]

6. Ummm - My understanding is that a majority of Iraqi families have

already moved.
And as long as there is secretarian violence there, they won't be coming back.

At least Biden is offering a way to calm some of the violence.


on edit -
Watching Cspan right now, and Rep Blumenauer (D - Oregon) is talking how Sweden has just agreed to take Iraqi refugees. Like I said, the Iraqis have already moved.

[justinrr1]

7. As Biden has stated.....

this agreement will require the leaders of the factions buying into it, that is why he calls for tying the sunnis to 20% of the oil revenues which is approximate to their population. As pirhana stated many of these families are already moving. The US will lead with this plan but it will be the Iraqis who have to buy into it for it to work. I dont think Biden is calling for our military to physically remove anyone. This sort of thing has worked in the past and this plan is the only plan that offers a legitimate political solution. Why not give it a try?

[TwilightGardener]

8. The Iraqis need to sort out Iraq on their own. We need to get out of the way.

[jillan]

9. This plan is based on the Iraqi Constitution

From the plan:
http://www.planforiraq.com/

The plan would maintain a unified Iraq by decentralizing it and giving Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis local control over their daily lives - as provided for in the Iraqi constitution.

Who knows if the plan will work, but it is better than what we are doing now. Just leaving could erupt in a regional conflict.
At least Biden is thinking it thru.