America ponders cutting Iraq in three – Sunday Times – Times Online
AN independent commission set up by Congress with the approval of President George W Bush may recommend carving up Iraq into three highly autonomous regions, according to well informed sources.
The Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by James Baker, the former US secretary of state, is preparing to report after next month’s congressional elections amid signs that sectarian violence and attacks on coalition forces are spiralling out of control. The conflict is claiming the lives of 100 civilians a day and bombings have reached record levels.
The Baker commission has grown increasingly interested in the idea of splitting the Shi’ite, Sunni and Kurdish regions of Iraq as the only alternative to what Baker calls “cutting and running� or “staying the course�.
“The Kurds already effectively have their own area,� said a source close to the group. “The federalisation of Iraq is going to take place one way or another. The challenge for the Iraqis is how to work that through.�
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His group will not advise “partition�, but is believed to favour a division of the country that will devolve power and security to the regions, leaving a skeletal national government in Baghdad in charge of foreign affairs, border protection and the distribution of oil revenue.
Well, isn’t that just fucking convenient!
Good plan, piss of the people in northern iraq more. Cut them off from the oil rich south, and take away that income, and you will see some serious violence. Good plan, lets just divide up all the religions into their own concentration camps. Great progress!