To: stockman_scott who wrote (46943 ) 9/26/2002 6:50:44 AM From: frankw1900 Read Replies (1) | Respond to This article smells of faux realpolitik Arab leaders worry above all about the possible disintegration of Iraq, or continued instability emanating from Iraq, They see the task of maintaining Iraq's territorial integrity and preventing meddling by regional rivals as potentially overwhelming While most in Iraq may be happy to rid themselves of Saddam, others may not; no ruler governs alone, and many in the state's extensive power structure and the factions associated with them will be fearful if the government falls. The Kurds in the north will push for maximum autonomy, and the prospect of a Kurdish state would concern Turkey, which has its own large Kurdish population. The majority of Iraq's Shiites, meanwhile, would want friendly religious and cultural ties with Iran. That could clash with U.S. objectives of confronting Iran and add to Iraq's instability. But Arab leaders' worries don't stop there. They also fear a sustained U.S. presence meant to prevent such chaos. If the United States commits to the deployment of the necessary military, political and economic resources to assure Iraq's stability, many of Iraq's neighbors, and others in the region, fear a possible American military and political dominance that would then include Iraq in a way that alters the strategic picture to their disadvantage. Ultimately, most states in the region do not see Iraq as currently posing a serious enough threat to them to warrant a war that could significantly alter the regional environment and present them with hard choices internally and externally.
