Comments on: Turning the Millionth Corner in Iraq http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/07/turning-the-millionth-corner-in-iraq Loaning brain cells to those in need since 2003 Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:40:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: tas http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/07/turning-the-millionth-corner-in-iraq/comment-page-1#comment-39489 tas Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:48:35 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=4503#comment-39489 I haven't kept up on Iraq as much as I should have in the past couple of months, but I know that one thing which makes it look like IRaq has turned the corner is us allowing Iraqis to administrate some things on their own soil -- essentially giving them jobs. When you can get a paycheck from the government, why join a militia? But at the same time, as Kathy mentioned, there are walls being built to separate neighborhoods and ethnicities. Sunnis aren't allowed the mix with Shia, and visa versa. This will keep a problem at bay, but what happens when the dams burst? Those walls will surely come down. Additionally, the resources grab that oil companies --- backed by the US -- are trying to make will cause a lot of friction. Middle Eastern countries have based their sovereignty in part to the control of their oil. If the US wants Iraq to give oil companies a 75% share of their countries oil (which is the current proposal) and this is passed by the Iraqi government, expect to see the country go into another shitstorm. This also doesn't even touch upon the fact that the Kurds (who don't even fly an Iraqi flag) have made their own deals with oil companies. By anyone's objective estimation, these are problems. I haven’t kept up on Iraq as much as I should have in the past couple of months, but I know that one thing which makes it look like IRaq has turned the corner is us allowing Iraqis to administrate some things on their own soil — essentially giving them jobs. When you can get a paycheck from the government, why join a militia? But at the same time, as Kathy mentioned, there are walls being built to separate neighborhoods and ethnicities. Sunnis aren’t allowed the mix with Shia, and visa versa. This will keep a problem at bay, but what happens when the dams burst? Those walls will surely come down. Additionally, the resources grab that oil companies — backed by the US — are trying to make will cause a lot of friction. Middle Eastern countries have based their sovereignty in part to the control of their oil. If the US wants Iraq to give oil companies a 75% share of their countries oil (which is the current proposal) and this is passed by the Iraqi government, expect to see the country go into another shitstorm. This also doesn’t even touch upon the fact that the Kurds (who don’t even fly an Iraqi flag) have made their own deals with oil companies.

By anyone’s objective estimation, these are problems.

]]> By: Kathy http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/07/turning-the-millionth-corner-in-iraq/comment-page-1#comment-39487 Kathy Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:40:42 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=4503#comment-39487 gcotharn, I think an answer to those questions deserves another post. It may take me a while, given work pressures, et al. For now, my short answer: I think it might be possible for the present government in Iraq to succeed as an entity, BUT, *only if the U.S. leaves Iraq.* As long as our military is in that country, and we are, basically, occupying the country, nothing good, in the broadest sense of that word, can happen. gcotharn,

I think an answer to those questions deserves another post. It may take me a while, given work pressures, et al.

For now, my short answer: I think it might be possible for the present government in Iraq to succeed as an entity, BUT, *only if the U.S. leaves Iraq.* As long as our military is in that country, and we are, basically, occupying the country, nothing good, in the broadest sense of that word, can happen.

]]> By: gcotharn http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/07/turning-the-millionth-corner-in-iraq/comment-page-1#comment-39471 gcotharn Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:28:32 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=4503#comment-39471 Kathy, Do you believe it possible for the new Iraq government to succeed as an entity(given the way we are currently going about helping them; and given the persons and methods currently in place in the Iraqi government)? If it's possible, what do you envision that success looking like? What are the odds of that success happening? 10%? 20%? 80%? I will not share any of my personal disagreement with you in this area, for a reason previously stated: the left and right cannot discuss strategy, b/c the left and right do not agree about what constitutes the threat. This post of yours is for you and fellow progressives to discuss amongst yourselves. But, b/c I respect your sincerity, I am interested in your thinking about the questions above: Do you think success is possible? Or, do you think failure is certain? If you find it interesting to answer, I will be grateful, and will take in your answers without rebuttal. My purpose in this instance is to better understand your thinking. Kathy,

Do you believe it possible for the new Iraq government to succeed as an entity(given the way we are currently going about helping them; and given the persons and methods currently in place in the Iraqi government)?

If it’s possible, what do you envision that success looking like? What are the odds of that success happening? 10%? 20%? 80%?

I will not share any of my personal disagreement with you in this area, for a reason previously stated: the left and right cannot discuss strategy, b/c the left and right do not agree about what constitutes the threat. This post of yours is for you and fellow progressives to discuss amongst yourselves.

But, b/c I respect your sincerity, I am interested in your thinking about the questions above: Do you think success is possible? Or, do you think failure is certain? If you find it interesting to answer, I will be grateful, and will take in your answers without rebuttal. My purpose in this instance is to better understand your thinking.

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