During January Plan V Iraq was sent to all Members of Congress

As we prepared PLAN V for Victory and Peace in IRAQ we were always aware of three overriding realities.

First, as we consulted with leading experts such as Ali Allawi and with important think-tanks worldwide such as Chatham House, it became ever more evident how difficult, as well as how urgent, the goal of ‘fixing’ Iraq has become. Even so we were determined to put forward bold new ideas for reconstituting Iraq in a federal way - The Federal Republic of Iraq. We describe our plan as “An intelligent arrangement of the dynamic forces and ethnic populations in Iraq”. We feel strongly that the United States now has a major historical and moral responsibility to the people of Iraq, and in fact to our own principles and values; that we cannot simply set a date and depart. At the same time we feel that the course we have been on has not sufficiently taken into account the historical realities of Iraq and the surrounding region; and that we must now do so.

Second, though Plan V is specifically about Iraq, other publications and plans from our foundation have made it clear we are well aware there are other major and interconnected regional and geo-strategic issues our foreign policy must now reassess. From Pakistan and Afghanistan to the east to Lebanon and Israel/Palestine to the west the entire region is in a period of major turmoil and in a sense reinvention. We have said before that we are aware that a “New Middle East” is emerging; and as the leading country in world affairs the policies we decide to pursue will have a major bearing on the outcome. Even since the publication of our Plan V other leading magazines have taken up this theme. The lead article in the current issue of The Atlanticis “After Iraq: A report from the new Middle East - and a glimpse of its possible future.” And in the current issue of Foreign Affairs (which incidentally has our Goals For Americans ad on the inside back cover) the article “Why Containing Iran Won’t Work - Washington’s Misguided New Middle East Policy” also rightly focuses on American leadership in helping a “new Middle East” take shape. This is a major theme about which this foundation will be focusing this year in upcoming publications and exclusive interviews.

Third, while the region itself is erupting in many places and for many reasons, it is in our own country where powerful interest groups, especially the Israel/Jewish Lobby, coupled with what is known as the “military-industrial complex” are at work. Two years ago our Foundation felt it important to work with the London Review of Books to reprint the very important cover article titled “The Israel Lobby” by Professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt and to have it delivered to all members of the Congress. In this critical election year it is more important than ever that we citizens of the United States look closely at how our own foreign policies are decided and make changes that assure the national goals we pursue are fully consistent with the principles and values we profess.

As this month begins we have just met with leading officials at the Iraqi Embassy in Washington to present them with Plan V and to ask how we can help generate the momentum to rebuild their historic country. As we did so the latest comprehensive and independent study had just been released detailing how over a million Iraqis have died since 2003 with millions more now homeless and destitute refugees. One in five Iraqi households report a family member has been killed as a result of the war with many more injured.

After such tragic suffering and bloodshed rebuilding Iraq is a goal to which we believe all Americans should and must rededicate themselves and recommit our own country. We certainly do not suggest that we have all the answers with Plan V. We do believe we have raised the critical important issues and shown a way forward that we urge our leaders in Washington to seriously consider.