FINDING A SOLUTION FOR IRAQ: Plans that Could Change the Shape of the Future

Paul Flum

Following the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, led by co-chairs Lee H. Hamilton and James Baker, III, on December 6, 2006, President Bush called upon yet another group of advisors to generate ideas for a new direction.

Senator Joe Biden

Shortly thereafter, Senator Joe Biden announced that he would conduct independent hearings with a group of experts to create another set of recommendations that would allow our troops to begin the process of returning home.

Similar to Paul Flum’s, Goals for Americans Foundation published plan, Biden presented a Five Point Plan for Iraq that “…established three largely autonomous regions – Shiite, Sunni and Kurd – with a strong but limited central government in Baghdad…” His plan also mirrors ours in its call for Shared Oil Revenues, and an imperative to convene an International conference with Iraq’s neighbors and others. Finally, Biden calls for a drawdown of U.S. troops by the end of 2007.

Peter Galbraith

Another proponent of decentralization of Iraq along ethnic lines comes from Former State Department official Peter Galbraith. In an interview with Jim Lehrer on a Newshour series on the future of Iraq, Galbraith explains that allowing each group to run their own affairs with very substantial self-government, or independence could help them protect their own interests and would be a way to minimize conflict.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

All involved realize that bringing the troops home will not stop the violence and chaos in Iraq. However, Zbigniew Brzezinski, author of The Choice, and former national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter believes that transferring decisions and power to the current Iraqi political leadership – putting the request for US forces to leave in their hands is the first of four important steps he calls for in his Plan for an American Withdrawal from Iraq.

We have compiled a grid that identifies the key elements of each of these proposals along with links that take you to their full text versions.

Ending the war, bringing the troops home, and setting Iraq on a positive course for the future will take the intellect, skill, and tangible incentives to give every Iraqi an opportunity to live and prosper in peace.

We begin 2007 with the Goal to make this happen and present these plans to further the discussion and provide a path for success.

Plans: | Joe Biden | Peter Galbraith | Zbigniew Brzezinski | Paul Flum

JOE BIDEN ON IRAQ

Joe Biden, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee proposes the following Five Point Plan for Iraq:

Establish One Iraq, with Three Regions
1. In January 2005, 98% of Kurds voted for independence. They do not want to be part of Iraq. They see it as a country that committed genocide against them.
2. Both Sunnis and Shiites consider themselves Iraqi but have different visions of what Iraq should be. Allowing these entities to have very substantial self-government or, perhaps if they so choose, independence would be a better way for them to protect their own interests and a way to minimize conflict.
Boundaries and Oil
1. As a suitable interim solution, utilize the Iraqi constitution’s formula for the distribution of oil revenues that gives the oil revenues to each of these regions in accordance with population. There probably is oil in the Sunni areas but most of this area has not been explored.
U.S. Roll in Iraq
1. Sees no purpose for a continued U.S. presence in the Shiite southern half of Iraq — we should withdraw immediately. We could also withdraw rapidly from Baghdad.
2. Setting up a Sunni region might take longer, but we should encourage that as quickly as possible. And then we would only be left with a residual force in Kurdistan.
3. The U.S. should first, assist in negotiating the borders of the regions, particularly as between the Arabs and the Kurds, because we have considerable influence in Kurdistan.
4. Insure that al-Qaida and other Sunni terrorist organizations like it are not able to establish a base in the Sunni area.
5. I would also keep a small force in Kurdistan that could intervene against al-Qaida, should it try to establish a base in the Sunni-Arab area.

PETER GALBRAITH ON IRAQ

Former State Department official Peter Galbraith, in an
interview with Jim Lehrer proposed the following:

Divide Iraq into three independent nations
1. In January 2005, 98% of Kurds voted for independence. They do not want to be part of Iraq. They see it as a country that committed genocide against them.
2. Both Sunnis and Shiites consider themselves Iraqi but have different visions of what Iraq should be. Allowing these entities to have very substantial self-government or, perhaps if they so choose, independence would be a better way for them to protect their own interests and a way to minimize conflict.
Boundaries and Oil
1. As a suitable interim solution, utilize the Iraqi constitution’s formula for the distribution of oil revenues that gives the oil revenues to each of these regions in accordance with population. There probably is oil in the Sunni areas but most of this area has not been explored.
U.S. Role in Iraq
1. Sees no purpose for a continued U.S. presence in the Shiite southern half of Iraq — we should withdraw immediately. We could also withdraw rapidly from Baghdad.
2. Setting up a Sunni region might take longer, but we should encourage that as quickly as possible. And then we would only be left with a residual force in Kurdistan.
3. The U.S. should first, assist in negotiating the borders of the regions, particularly as between the Arabs and the Kurds, because we have considerable influence in Kurdistan.
4. Insure that al-Qaida and other Sunni terrorist organizations like it are not able to establish a base in the Sunni area.
5. I would also keep a small force in Kurdistan that could intervene against al-Qaida, should it try to establish a base in the Sunni-Arab area.

ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI ON IRAQ

Former National Security adviser to President Carter
and author of The Choice laid out the following in his
Four Point Plan for American Withdrawal from Iraq
published in The Financial Times Limited:

Washington should urge Iraqi leaders to publicly ask the US to leave.
After request has been issued, US and Iraqi governments would jointly consult on a date for ending the occupation. Brzezinski suggests that within a year, the US should be able to complete an orderly disengagement. Commitment to a date would be useful in concentrating Iraqi minds on what would follow and encourage them to assume responsibility. This is more likely to produce leaders who are prepared to lead and have the will to lead.
Iraqi government should then call for a regional conference of Muslim states, some immediately adjoining Iraq, others more distant. The Muslim neighbors and friends should be asked to help the Iraqi government establish and consolidate internal stability. The call should not come from the US and such help would not be available if Iraq was still occupied.
U.S. (upon leaving) should convene a donors’ conference of European states, Japan, China and others with an interest in a stable oil-exporting Iraq to become more directly involved in financing the restoration of the Iraqi economy. That again, is more likely to be productive when it is obvious that the US occupation is ending.

“The US needs to recognize that its intervention in Iraq is becoming part of a wider, dangerous confrontation between America and the Muslim World – a collision that could prove, if it becomes truly widespread, devastating to America’s global position. An America in a conflict with the world of Islam as a whole will be an America with more enemies and fewer friends, an America more isolated and less secure.”

PAUL FLUM ON IRAQ

The President of Goals for Americans calls
for a Republic of Iraq with autonomous states
and a Capital city

Establish a Four State Republic made up of:
- A Kurdish State
- A Sunni State
- A Shiite State
- A Baghdad State — already a Province with over 8 million people of all ethnic and religious persuasions
- Baghdad City (National and International Capital)
- Presidents from each State will govern the country on a rotating basis.

These three separate ethnic and religious groups need more autonomy (like Utah and New York) — with Baghdad State bringing them all together around their Capital City — Baghdad. Among them, there would be:
- 18 Provinces (already established) - For Domestic Stability
- 18 Governors (1 per Province – already in place - For Domestic Stability
- 36 Senators (2 per Province — for equality — they will represent their own State as well as their Province) and comprise the Senate of the Iraqi Government.
- 180 Representatives (based on population and resources) will comprise the House of Representatives of Iraq and help to regulate National and Local issues (education, medical care, etc.) This will work because much already exists.

Shared Oil Wealth and Infrastructure
- An equitable and just distribution of oil revenue to finance all four states would be necessary to insure a sense of equality and fairness for Sunnis, Shites, and Kurds. This is absolutely doable using the above governmental structure.
Call a Middle East Peace Conference
- It has been irresponsible and foolish that our U.S. administration has not been doing this all along. (See our July 2005 Iraq poster.)
- Cooperate with all Mideast Countries to seal the borders of all six surrounding countries and stop the flow of insurgents and suicide bombers into Iraq. This is so obvious and vital, but unbelievably, not to the Bush Administration.
- Address the “Reason Behind the Reason” – 60 years of smoldering injustice to the Palestinians that underlies the enmity of the Arab world toward Israel and the United States. — America must assume responsibility for finally establishing a free and independent Palestinian State —that is not controlled by the Israeli Apartheid apparatus (which also controls this Administration’s Middle East Foreign Policy).
Publish our Plan for all to see — with the promise that as Iraq succeeds in governing itself – we will eagerly reduce our forces accordingly – until all are gone. As we proceed in this direction we will utilize our personnel in the most helpful and constructive ways to achieve the goal of Iraqi self-governance and universal democracy for its people.
The four elected members of the Iraqi Governing Council who meet in Baghdad City will guide all National and International Affairs of the Country of Iraq. This includes the Iraqi oil wealth, all national systems (air, oil, rail traffic, police forces for each of the four states, the national armed forces, and all power grids for electricity, phone service, health, welfare, education, medicine, etc.).
Publish our Long-Range Plan for Iraq and America with Pride and Vigor and a Sense of Responsibility to all the people of Iraq and the U.S.A. Note: We have done a poor, miserable job of communicating with the Iraqi people — no wonder they don’t like or trust us.

This must change and our new Congress must have the sense of responsibility — and the sheer “guts” to make this very obvious solution (described above) actually happen.

Who in our government will have the sense of Responsibility, plus Determination and just plain Honor – to make this happen?

Goals for Americans will continue to work for America’s future with Creative Ideas plus the Plans to achieve them.

Finally, I would like to quote Brent Scowcoft, Security Adviser to Presidents
Gerald R. Ford and George H. W. Bush, and currently President of the Forum
for International Policy, from his January 5th editorial in the New York Times:

“As we work our way through this seemingly intractable problem in Iraq, we must constantly remember that this is not just a troublesome issue from which we can walk away if it seems too costly to continue. What is at stake is not only Iraq and the stability of the Middle East, but the global perception of the reliability of the United States as a partner in a deeply troubled world. We cannot afford to fail that test.”

January 4, 2007 | Filed Under GFA