Posted by
Matt Keller on Friday, February 09, 2007 4:38:02 AM
If the Palestinians can do it...Why Can't the Iraqi Shiite and Sunni?
So we all want to "secure" Iraq, and we want the troops to go home in Victory, right?
Democrats want to redeploy/retreat but give no alternate solution except to say "diplomacy diplomacy!" But they also dont even say what that would entail. Nevermind the fact that diplomacy is backed up by force. It will be until the sun burns out.
So what to do?
How about a hybrid solution?
We maintain the surge, eliminating primarily foreign (to Iraq) insurgents, and if Mahdi Army gets in the way too bad.
However at the same time we call for Sunni and Shiite peace talks to be held........where else? MECCA!
Mecca is the holiest city in all of Islam, be they Sunni of Shiite. Any Imam or Cleric would be hard pressed not to make an fool of themselves there (or committ any acts of violence). This could provide a serious sitdown between the leaders of the primary warring groups along with the offical govt. of Iraq. Now granted any diplomatic solution may not allow a significant American hand in the matter. This is because Mecca only allows Muslims within its borders. And I'm not sure we have too many Muslims in the State Dept. (though logic should dictate that we should have some if we dont) Kurds from Kurdistan would also not be allowed a voice in the diplomatic negotiations.
If a peacable solution can be reached, and the two factions declare a resolved effort to fight any foreign threat to the peace (and we observe that they do), then and only then would we remove troops. Granted if things heat up again we move back in (nobody mentions the fact that if things get bad once we leave we can go back and stomp people. Its not like Saddam's army was any kind of challenge.)
I leave the fine details of the negotiations to the more experienced diplomats.