|
|
2004-04-26 11:07:45 ET
I think we should go back to what General Shinseki said about the troop levels required to secure the country..
Using his figures, take the troops presently in-country and secure what can be secured, even if it is only Baghdad, Kirkuk, and ONE export route for oil.
Make a deal with the Shia to run Sadr City themselves.
Make a deal with a Sunni group to run Fallujah, Ramadi, and surrounding areas, but tell them not to get too comfortable.
Have the UN supervise elections in the secure areas, which should be a good portion of the country if we include Basra (Brits keeping order) and the Shiite south which will be quiet if we don't poke at it too much.
THEN let the people in the unsecured areas see what can be done if they let us help AND let the people in the secured areas start taking it over themselves. THEN get out.
Blindly fucking up whoever fucks with us will probably not get us farther than it has already.
Unfortunately, I think the ultimate reconstruction of the country will require screwing the Kurds. In their case, we made assurances that we shouldn't have. |
|
