Oh, how many times do I have to repeat this on SI before someone finally comes up with the below solution?
It's a two-state solution: Greater (democratic--Shia, Sunni and Kurd) Iraq; and Southern (Shia) Iraq
Greater Iraq:
This nation would begin with a tiny southern access point at the Persian Gulf; it's western borders would be Saudi Arabia and Jordan; its northern border would be Syria and Turkey; its eastern border would be Iran.
Given that presently--using rounded numbers--there's 60 percent Shia; 20 percent Sunni; 15 percent Kurd and five percent Christian, these population numbers would chance if the new Shia nation is formed to the south. Via this districting about two-thirds of the 60 percent Shia population would inhabit the new nation. This would leave a closer proximity in numbers of Kurds, Sunnis and Shias living in Greater Iraq. With closers demographic numbers now residing in Greater Iraq, those factions could compete for the best ideas and possibly actually establish a democracy.
Southern (Shia) Iraq:
The US works with Iran, improves its relationship with Iran in the the process, by helping to create a southern-tiered area of present Iraq, with the northern border being about 40 miles south of Baghdad; the western border being inclusive of the Shia holy cities along the riverways (the riverways themselves would be common and international); the easter border being Iran's border; and the southern border being the Gulf, except for a tiny slice which would remain with Greater Iraq. This new nation would look similar to South Carolina.
Distribution of Oil Resources:
Two schools of thought here:
1) The Southern nation derives the benefit from the southern Basra fields; the Northern nation derives the benefit from the Kirkurk and East Baghdad fields.
2) All of the present fields come under a pan-Arab board with equal numbers of representatives of the two nations (say five each), together with five mixed reprsentatives from other Arab countries. This theoretical board of 15 would administer the oil and split the proceeds based on the respective populations of the two new nations.
The benefit to this plan is that Turkey no longer fears the Kurds creating a nation of their own; Iran no longer fears threats from Iraq; Shias and Sunnis separate their differences; Middle Eastern nations all help to create a more stabilized environment in the region; democracy gets a chance to show itself and perhaps influence future governments in the region; and the US gets to improve its relations with Iran.
Meanwhile, while all of the above is happing, I propose the following for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
* Recognize the original UN borders.
* Both nations recognize the other.
* Jersulem becomes an international city.
* Relocate the United Nations from New York to Jersulem.
* Establish an enormous International School of Diplomacy at the border of the West Bank and Israel.
* Establish an International UN Peacekeeping Training Facility in the Golan Heights area.
* The two new nations work out an equitable water distribution system for both countries.
One other point:
In the nation-shaping of the two new countries, the rebuilding and all--make plenty of employment opportunities available for
young people all throughout the MidEast.
WELL, IN A NUTSHELL, THAT'S MY SOLUTION--ANYONE GOT ANY BETTER IDEAS--LOL! |
