Echo2
08-31-2005, 02:41 PM
It is pretty obvious that doing nothing will result in a civil/religious war. But what can we actually do to change the course?
I fear that we have oppened a pandora's box.
For three years I have wanted to know why we never sealed Iraqs boarders. Yes it would take more troops. By going in with not enough troops to seal the boarder we have set ourselves up to be fighting in Iraq for decades. What is the answer? Obviously we cannot just pull out. But does anyone truly believe that by writing a constitution and setting people into positions of power and training and army that we will be able to walk away from this mess?
Khaled al-Attiyah, a Shiite on the constitution drafting committee, has stated that "no changes are allowed ... except for minor edits for the language."
This indicated that the Shiites and Kurds were unlikely to compromise on their core demand that Iraq become a loose federation. Sunnis fear this would eventually lead to the breakup of the nation.
Sunni Arabs are about 20 percent of the population. They could still scuttle the charter because of a rule stating that if two-thirds of the voters in any three provinces reject it, it would be defeated.
Even if the Sunnis lose the referendum, a bitter political battle at a time when the Sunni-led insurgency shows no sign of abating could plunge the country into a full-scale sectarian conflict.
The Shiite Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq condemned attacks by foreign fighters against "our beloved people" and urged the government to "stop criminals and terrorists from crossing into Iraq."
Should we increase troops and seal the boarders? Should we back off and see what happens or should we continue with the status quo?
I fear that we have oppened a pandora's box.
For three years I have wanted to know why we never sealed Iraqs boarders. Yes it would take more troops. By going in with not enough troops to seal the boarder we have set ourselves up to be fighting in Iraq for decades. What is the answer? Obviously we cannot just pull out. But does anyone truly believe that by writing a constitution and setting people into positions of power and training and army that we will be able to walk away from this mess?
Khaled al-Attiyah, a Shiite on the constitution drafting committee, has stated that "no changes are allowed ... except for minor edits for the language."
This indicated that the Shiites and Kurds were unlikely to compromise on their core demand that Iraq become a loose federation. Sunnis fear this would eventually lead to the breakup of the nation.
Sunni Arabs are about 20 percent of the population. They could still scuttle the charter because of a rule stating that if two-thirds of the voters in any three provinces reject it, it would be defeated.
Even if the Sunnis lose the referendum, a bitter political battle at a time when the Sunni-led insurgency shows no sign of abating could plunge the country into a full-scale sectarian conflict.
The Shiite Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq condemned attacks by foreign fighters against "our beloved people" and urged the government to "stop criminals and terrorists from crossing into Iraq."
Should we increase troops and seal the boarders? Should we back off and see what happens or should we continue with the status quo?