Comments on: Iraq: Devolution of Power http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/ Paleoconservative Observations Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:59:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Aircraft Carriers vs. Speed Boats « MANSIZEDTARGET.COM http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-5286 Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:04:07 +0000 http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-5286 [...] Iraq, but the only reason things are turning out is because the “good guys” consist of disaffected factions of former terrorists, former sheiks and their henchman fighting irregulars in the same irregular way to which they are [...]

]]> By: David Manley http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-4820 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:18:30 +0000 http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-4820 There’s a lot we could do to discourage cooperation between Iran and Shiite Iraq.

First, there is the Arab / Persian thing. This is actually a very big source of tension.

Second, there is the shift in Shiite religious power from Iran to Iraq. Iraq is actually the historical seat of Shiite religious learning and power, and Iran was only able to recently built up Qom’s prominence due to Saddam’s control in Iraq.

Third, and most intriguing, is the Iranian province of Khuzestan. It is a mostly Arab province, borders Shiite Iraq, and holds most of Iran’s oil wealth. There is already Arab unrest there.

Of course leveraging any of these issues without pushing things too far would require a mix of diplomatic finesse and covert operations and funding. And I figure all the pols constantly talking about the need for more soft power aren’t talking about anything like this.

]]> By: Mr. Roach http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-4819 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:06:17 +0000 http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-4819 I don’t like that the Shia part of the country, unlike Kuwait and Qatar, is right next to Iran and one result of this war has been to strengthen Iran’s hand substantially. But we need to do something to get out of there, accepting we’ve strengthened Iran, and I think the best thing is to strengthen institutions and allies in the North and West while giving the Shia area the option to continue cooperating with us, even as we accept they’ll be pulled into Iran’s orbit.

]]> By: David Manley http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-4816 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:24:51 +0000 http://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/iraq-devolution-of-power/#comment-4816 What’s not to like about the devolution strategy? Really, wouldn’t it be nice to turn the Middle East into a bunch of Kuwait’s and Qatar’s?

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