ISIS/ISIL make major gains in Iraq

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

The Kurds have taken Kirkuk

Iran is sending in support for Maliki

Then we need to support him harder.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

Reason #45 why Saddam Hussein should have been left in power.

I have a feeling that what we'd be seeing had that happened would be far worse than what is happening now. Of course, there'd have been far fewer deaths in the country 2003-10, but after that one assumes there would have been an uprising, just as there was everywhere else, and it would have made Syria's conflict look like a polite disagreement by comparison.

That is of course assuming that he'd still be alive. He'd have been 77 this year - Stalin died aged 74 and Hafez al-Assad at 69.

Uday and Qusay would still be there.

Do you think they would be half-way competent?

Uday's Iraq would probably have a Pol Pot level of brutality.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

Reason #45 why Saddam Hussein should have been left in power.

I have a feeling that what we'd be seeing had that happened would be far worse than what is happening now. Of course, there'd have been far fewer deaths in the country 2003-10, but after that one assumes there would have been an uprising, just as there was everywhere else, and it would have made Syria's conflict look like a polite disagreement by comparison.

That is of course assuming that he'd still be alive. He'd have been 77 this year - Stalin died aged 74 and Hafez al-Assad at 69.

Uday and Qusay would still be there.

Do you think they would be half-way competent?

Uday's Iraq would probably have a Pol Pot level of brutality.

Uday was removed from the succession, IIRC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uday_Hussein
Ah, he was. You're right.
Qusay would still be worse than Assad, even his he is a bit better than daddy.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

The Kurds should seize the moment and declare an independent Kirkuk-based Kurdistan.

I was thinking the same thing this morning, but as noted above, that would couting the chickens before they hatch. I hope a completely independent Kurdistan results from this in the long term, though.

That could cause an adverse Turkish and Iranian response, though.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

Credit for this mess goes to the United States, due to entering in first place back in 2003.

We should have mediated a population exchange were the Shia went to Syria and the Sunni went to Iraq. That would have ended ISIS before it started.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

Credit for this mess goes to the United States, due to entering in first place back in 2003.

We should have mediated a population exchange were the Shia went to Syria and the Sunni went to Iraq. That would have ended ISIS before it started.

You really don't...get the demographic geography of the Middle East, do you?

While Syria is mostly Sunni and Iraq mostly Shia, their respective minorities hold the critical, nation controlling parts of the countries. The Alawites control the coasts which controls food, meaning they can starve the Sunni majority if they retaliate. The Sunnis in Iraq control the desert and, just as the Mamlukes and Ottomans did before them, can overrun southern Iraq.
While majoritarianism makes sense at first blush, looking deeper reveals the truth about Iraq and Syria.