There is no solution to the Iraq problem.

[rateyes]

Please read the following article. It is rather lengthy, but it is a very important read in understanding the situation on the ground in Iraq. My take on the article follows the link.

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20070920_100442_7900&source=srch&page=1

The article found at the link above will take a good while to read, but it contains the truth behind the spin we are getting from Bush/Petraeus/Republicans, as well as some Democrats.

It looks like, in the end, all we can do in Iraq is delay a much greater bloodbath. Forming a decentralized, 3-state solution won't work...and, neither will forming a strong centralized government.

The factions in Iraq are determined to fight it out, and the US military is simply being used as a tool by the former Saddam loyalists, with whom we've gotten in bed in Anbar province. When they are through with al-Qaeda in Iraq (which wasn't there until we invaded)...they'll turn on the US Military, again.

There's going to be a bigger bloodbath, I think, and Bush knows it. He is simply trying to delay it, so that it will happen under the next president, and not on his watch.

There will NOT be a political solution, which is the only way out of this mess, because the groups in Iraq are too diverse. There is no military solution. Even Petraeus says that.

Our choices are between staying in Iraq and delaying the inevitable, while getting more of our troops killed and maimed, and getting the hell out of there now, and letting the tribes fight it out. Either way, there will not be an Iraq that is "democratic" nor an "ally" of the U.S.

Tell me what you think after you read the article.

BTW, this will probably be my last post on DU for a while. I'm tired.

Peace.

[acmavm]

1. Hope you have a peaceful and regenerative rest. I truly understand.

I think there is only one solution. And it's a horrible solution but the only one possible. We get the hell out and let them sort it out for themselves. Iraq as a country was a mess from the get-go. It was a western mandated hodge-podge of peoples and scraps of defeated and abused Middle Eastern countries that was thrown together by the west after WWII. The west is always into nation building, but always on their own terms no matter how unrealistic or unreasonable those terms may be. Now it's all come apart because we killed the only guy who was strong enough, in fact merciless enough, to hold the whole damn mess together. And we (the US) helped put him in power, we kept him in power, but only for as long as it suited us. Now it's all come undone due to the arrogance and the unsurpassed corruption and greed of the neocon government fronted by the Connecticutt Cowboy, and there's not one damn thing that we can do to stop it.

But those who's fault this is have the brilliant idea that a war with Iran will do the trick. Gotta get that last action in before they go out in 2008 (if we do get rid of them).

Yep, we're so screwn.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Things were a little more tidy when that other guy was in charge. Not

better but perhaps a bit tidier. Someone should take a poll in Iraq and let us know how they really feel. They do have internet access so taking a poll, or putting one in their newspapers should not be a big thing.

http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/iraq.htm
Iraq Newspapers

* Al-Ahali Weekly
* Al-Badeal
* Al-Bayan
* Alef Yaa
* Al Fourat
* Al-Furat
* Al-Furat Monthly
* Al Hayat
* Al-Iraqi
* Al-Itijah Al-Akhar
* Al-Ittihad
* Al Manarah (Basra)
* Al-Mendhar (Baghdad)
* Al-Mezan
* Al Moharer
* Al Mowaten
* Al-Rafidayn (Baghdad)
* Al-Sabaah Daily
* Al Taakhi
* Al-Tahaddi
* Al Tariq
* Al Wifaq (Baghdad)
* Al-Walid
* Az-Zaman
* Basaer News (Riyadh)
* Chaldean Nation
* Daftar
* Eamama Newspaper
* Hiatolama (Baghdad)
* Iraq Daily (Baghdad)
* Iraq For All News
* Iraq Today
* Iraq CMM
* Iraq World (Baghdad)
* Iraqi Home (Baghdad)
* Iraqi Lady
* Iraqi National Accord (Baghdad)
* Karbala News (Karbala)
* Kitabat (Baghdad)
* Kul al-Iraq
* The Kurdistani (Kurdistan)
* Nahrain Encyclopedia
* New Sabah
* Nidaa-Arrafidain
* Nosus Iraqia
* Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
* Shabab (Baghdad)
* Tareek al Shaab (Baghdad)
* Voice Of Iraq
* Qawim

[TwilightGardener]

2. Agree with you--there are just no good options. Best to start withdrawal

and develop a tolerance for bloodshed, if we haven't already--we can't control the situation forever.

[rateyes]

3. Yep. It's a bad solution to a problem that needed not

to be created. But, it's better than all the rest.