Ok, this may be a dumb idea (if so it would not be my first). But I figured put it out there and see if it is good, or leads to something good.
What drove me to this was thinking about how almost every "solution" to Iraq is one of two basic ideas - either leave, be it slowly, quickly, or with work as we do so. Or stay, trying different approaches or ideas, but stay. And there are bad repercussions to both.
So what about this. We cut a deal with Iran, Syria, and Turkey for them to take over our role in Iraq. With conditions.
Iran must give up their efforts to develop a nuclear bomb, including closing down and destroying the facilities used to do so. And accepting intrusive checks of their facilities.
Syria must sign a peace treaty with Israel and forever renounce any claim to Lebanon.
Turkey must commit to supporting democracy and to treating the Kurds well. There is no onerous condition on Turkey because they are a democracy and have earned the right to be treated as one that will handle this job responsibly.
The three countries must agree to handle Iraq collectively and to renounce any claims to any of the territory of Iraq. All three also must commit to establishing a Democratic government in Iraq. On the ground Iran would handle the Shia areas, Syria the Sunni areas, and Turkey the Kurdish areas.
I think it would be impossible for any of those countries to say no to such a proposition. But the result would be that Iran and Syria would go from cooperation to competing with each other on the ground. And the morass in Iraq would swallow them up instead of the U.S.
Iran and Syria are also probably the only countries that have a chance of "fixing" Iraq. First they are the cause of some of the fighting, although by now I think a lot has spun out of their control. Second, they know the various groups better than anyone else and have more leverage over them.
How good a job would they do? Who knows. But we're not doing great right now.
Would they stick to their word and not try to annex parts of Iraq? Who knows but if they did it would cause them no end of problems with the rest of the Arab world.
Would they keep their commitment to establish a Democracy? Who knows but the Iraqis have had a taste of Democracy and I think that any efforts to end that would cause an even worse insurrection.
So, what do you think? Please comment.
trackbacks: DailyKOS, Mudville Gazette
