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Iraq and the Baker Report


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It seems that the Baker report will suggest that the way forward interms of the quagmire in Iraq is to draw in Syria and Iran.

 

There's been alot said about how we got into the situation we're in, but lets ignore that for now - so on that note do people have any suggestions on what should be done now?

 

Does the idea of using Iran and Syria to try and bring some order to Iraq seem like a go er ?

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well i think the powers that be have lit a fire they will never put out

 

I would agree that we're going to loose face and influence for a long while, but most problems have a solution. If not a solution we can certainly reduce the long term damage from the position we're currently in.

 

What do you think we should do ?

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Does the idea of using Iran and Syria to try and bring some order to Iraq seem like a go er ?

 

I would surprised if anything but a sectarian division of Iraq will provide a lasting solution.

 

The Shia majority wil always have Iran on their side to subvert any solution that allows Iraqi Sunnis to regain control.

 

The Kurds will be looking for a solution that provides an opportunity to combine with their bretheren in Turkey for the creation of an autonomous Kurdish state and Turkey of course will be strenuously opposed to this outcome.

 

The Sunnis will be able to rely on the majority of the Muslim world to fight their corner, especially neighbouring Syria and Jordan, but I imagine Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and Egypt will be fundamentally opposed to Iraqi Shias ruling the roost.

 

And what might be the price the US has to pay to engage Syria and Iran in the process of bringing peace to Iraq when for the past three years they have both been instrumental in formenting conflict ?

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Engaging Syria and Iran could be a way of facilitating an Anglo-American withdrawal without condemning Iraq to even more anarchy than currently exists.

 

Greybeard gives a useful overview of the wider likely alliances and ramifications. The outside powers would in effect act as guarantors of parts of a partitioned country.

 

In this scenario Syria's role as the protector of the Sunni area would be crucial. I'm not sure though about the extent to which Syria has the capacity to handle this task (given, for example, the possible need to deal with Al Qaeda types whose presence would presumably no longer be welcome, and elsewhere, ongoing instability in Lebanon).

 

Syria and Iran might be attracted by an extension of their geo-political influence. On the other hand, they are being asked to assist with something which could present them with a lot of difficulties. Tony Blair's idea of solving all the Middle East problems in one package seems like a tall order. It's pretty inevitable that Israel will be a loser from the Iraq debacle.

 

President Ahmadinejad of Iran now has, indeed, what Deal or No Deal people term a 'strong board'. There's little reason for Ahmadinejad to pay much heed to a burnt out has-been like Tony Blair. If the Americans and British wish to withdraw from Iraq in the relatively near future the consumption of some humble pie may be necessary.

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There won't be any kind of a solution to this problem until the politicos remember that Iraq is a completely artificial creation, made by British bureucrats drawing lines on a map. The sooner they let the people who live there make their own countries, the sooner we'll have something resembling peace.

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There won't be any kind of a solution to this problem until the politicos remember that Iraq is a completely artificial creation, made by British bureucrats drawing lines on a map. The sooner they let the people who live there make their own countries, the sooner we'll have something resembling peace.

That is what Sadam said when he invaded his smaller neighbour, and got freedom imposed on his people. Too many people killed and too many scores to settle now for peace to prevail as we knew Iraq to be once. A great many will yet lose their lives for the mistakes of the west.

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There won't be any kind of a solution to this problem until the politicos remember that Iraq is a completely artificial creation, made by British bureucrats drawing lines on a map. The sooner they let the people who live there make their own countries, the sooner we'll have something resembling peace.

 

 

all countries are to some extent artificial creations. Unfortunately we have four powerful neighbours in Turkey/Iran/Saudi/Syria along with powerful players such as the US/EU/Russia/China.

 

I dont think the people will have much say in the final solution.

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