[DongoSab]

The Shia, Sunni split is becoming one of the big themes in the ME currently, both in Iraq and in Lebanon, as is whether Iran becomes the local hegemon, or if Sunni Arab states will maintain dominance.

[bataovady]

Congratualations. We've made things so unbearable that now they fear that they will die if we leave. USA! USA! USA!

[zzarratusstra]

That would look better on my bedroom floor.

[Frodogzzz]

That's not that you bastard Texan.

[Elisabetxxx]

Ah forget it then. Ain't worth it.

[globjgtyf]

at least you can't knock her up again.

[ElenaEvgeevna]

mmmm young britney

[Malinguenem]

It's called management

[Jesslovers]

Yeah... I was totally against the war, but now it's our mess and we're responsible for keeping it from getting even worse.

[Enfotanab]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Is there anything this administration can't **** up? Their re-election.

[rootoronpunty]

If we'd left sooner, they would have settled their differences.

Yeah, the Sunnis would've killed a bunch of people and reasserted their dominance over the majority of Kurds and Shia.

[Biassasecumma]

said Abbas al-Bayati, a prominent Shiite legislator. “Compromising with the insurgency will encourage the insurgents to do more and more violence in the region.” like land for peace

[vekiuytyh]

Berz, you should be used to conservatives saying one thing for one argument, and something different for the next.

[eladiopsislab]

maybe we are looking at the wrong militias as a threat?

[Gmvkgkmn]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
US forces have fought certain Shia militias in the past and are currently engaging the Mahdi Army again. If the Sunni really do buy into the political process and start cracking down on their militias, I would expect to see a greater US push to rein in and ulitimately disband the Shia militias. but somehow the US expectations always outpace actual outcomes

[UncoonsKala]

Drake, you deserve a beer. And I need one.

[markoiutrfffdsa]

Divide the country along ethnic and religious borders, yo

1 for the kurds

1 for the sunni arabs

1 for the shii arabs

[WoCTrt0X]

You exchange populations to create homogenous countries, like in greece-turkey india-pakistan etc

[maonnjtip]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride
You exchange populations to create homogenous countries, like in greece-turkey india-pakistan etc with ideas like this i am actually relieved we are there.

why would any group give up baghdad? what incentive could you provide?

[Sironimoll]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
If they were capable of that, then they'd be capable of defending themselves from the death squads.

I'd wager that 3 years of struggle against American and later Iraqi forces has degraded the military capabilities of Sunni insurgents and militias a bit. Given that they've only grown in size and strength, you'd probably lose that bet. The group that's been hurt the most is al-Qaeda in Mespotamia. They were never really that significant militarily, but certainly have done most of the killing of Shi'ites.