Atlantic article on Iraq policy

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Here's an article from a left-leaning opinion rag on our Iraq policy.  It's a thorough and well-researched accounting of the political and diplomatic side of our Iraq policy over these past few years.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/06/obamas-disastrous-iraq-policy-an-autopsy/373225/

I'm not looking to rehash old arguments, but I thought this was very interesting and worth sharing.  

[SADShooter]

Thanks. Informative, and damned depressing. There's nothing like realizing what you knew was bad is, in fact, a whole lot worse.

[RevDisk]

Basically, yep. We had a really stupid policy from the get-go. It got worse under Obama, which was basically let Maliki do whatever the hell he wanted. Which was basically let Maliki purge any and all Sunni from government. Which will guarantee a continued insurgency. Either Maliki will loot the treasury and flee the country if it looks like it's going to fall, or he's going to kick the hell out of the Sunni population.

Plus side is, our incompetence is working in favor of the Kurds. They're keeping a low profile, building infrastructure, probably acquiring weapons, and making nice with Turkey. Best hope for them is that the Sunni and Shiites rip each other to shreds, allowing the Kurds the chance to gain de facto independence.

[makattak]

Basically, yep. We had a really stupid policy from the get-go. It got worse under Obama, which was basically let Maliki do whatever the hell he wanted. Which was basically let Maliki purge any and all Sunni from government. Which will guarantee a continued insurgency. Either Maliki will loot the treasury and flee the country if it looks like it's going to fall, or he's going to kick the hell out of the Sunni population.

Plus side is, our incompetence is working in favor of the Kurds. They're keeping a low profile, building infrastructure, probably acquiring weapons, and making nice with Turkey. Best hope for them is that the Sunni and Shiites rip each other to shreds, allowing the Kurds the chance to gain de facto independence.

I have to wonder if Turkey might not even offer to make them a part of the country. Might help further pacify the Kurds in Turkey and plays into their Ottoman ambitions.

[RevDisk]

I have to wonder if Turkey might not even offer to make them a part of the country. Might help further pacify the Kurds in Turkey and plays into their Ottoman ambitions.

Meh, Kurds aren't looking for a different master to hold the leash.

[roo_ster]

Maybe Turkey would offer to recognize an Iraqi Kurdistan (and support Kurd claims to oil resources) on the condition that Kurds in Turkey hoof it over to Iraqi Kurdistan and the oil leaves IK via a new pipeline that dumps out into the Bosphorus.

[Scout26]

Basically, yep. We had a really stupid policy from the get-go. It got worse under Obama, which was basically let Maliki do whatever the hell he wanted. Which was basically let Maliki purge any and all Sunni from government. Which will guarantee a continued insurgency. Either Maliki will loot the treasury and flee the country if it looks like it's going to fall, or he's going to kick the hell out of the Sunni population.

Plus side is, our incompetence is working in favor of the Kurds. They're keeping a low profile, building infrastructure, probably acquiring weapons, and making nice with Turkey. Best hope for them is that the Sunni and Shiites rip each other to shreds, allowing the Kurds the chance to gain de facto independence.

The Kurds are the only smart ones there.  IIRC, they recently grabbed Kirkuk after the Iraqi army hiked their skirts and ran from ISIS:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/25/us-iraq-security-kurds-oil-idUSKBN0F02KL20140625

[RevDisk]

Maybe Turkey would offer to recognize an Iraqi Kurdistan (and support Kurd claims to oil resources) on the condition that Kurds in Turkey hoof it over to Iraqi Kurdistan and the oil leaves IK via a new pipeline that dumps out into the Bosphorus.

That's possible, but I doubt the Kurds will want to give up Turkish Kurdistan, which is significant in size. It's two or three times the size of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Honestly, we should have moved all of our "left behind" equipment into Iraqi Kurdistan. Then again, it'd likely be used against Turkey, so... meh. Kurds are probably the best friends we have in the region, but they're gorram stubborn people. They're the Middle East version of American rednecks.

[roo_ster]

I read someplace else:
How do you say "Ngo Dinh Diem" in Arabic?  "Nouri al-Maliki"