The Biden Solution

06/06/2006

Paul Munnis

Even as Mr. Bush makes every effort to divert attention away from his failed Iraqi War effort the violence and carnage of that war are rising even as the country proves unable to rule itself. Iraq has not been able to appoint a Minister of the Interior and a Minister of Defense. The police and the Army are ineffective and the nation has descended into full-scale religious warfare.

Against this backdrop, Democratic Sen. Joe Biden has made a humble suggestion. “Why not create three States, empower each to a religious sect, and form a strong central government to look out for the mutual interests of the three states?”

Biden was laughed at, derided, and mocked by many in the GOP, yet his proposal is making more sense daily.

The present notion of a unity government has failed. There is no unity in Iraq.

The alternative appears to be a religious milita kill-off with minorities sacrificed and killed.

American troops have no role to play in such a scenario. We would be compelled to come home from Iraq in shame.

If Biden’s idea were accepted however, there would be relocation, redistribution of territory, formation of State governments, and formation of a strong central government. American troops could then play a positive role in training and equipping a national Army to defend borders.

As time goes by the Biden proposal is going to make more and more sense yet there is a danger that the window of opportunity might close before the idea can be implemented.

Iraq is now at the tipping point. Either make a nation that works of else be abandoned are the stark choices that they face. Biden’s suggestion offers a better alternative and a way to make a nation that works by protecting individual religious, and tribal self-interests.

We would recommend that the Iraqi people give this proposal some serious thought.