Resolved: The United States should encourage the implementation of a soft partition in Iraq.

Staying in Iraq for 50 years is hardly a desirable outcome. Al-quada was not in Iraq until after we invaded. In addition, they are hardly the only terror group in Iraq right now; there are several Sunni and Shia ones, like the Mahdi army, which answers to the Shia cleric Mohammad Al-Soder (not spelled right). You cannot blame all of the insurgency on al-quada. I have a hard time believing they are the root cause the insurgency, if you have evidence otherwise can you please quote it. I was under the impression it was caused by sectarian conflict, Shia wanting more control of lands, Sunni feeling left out, even discriminated against. Again, if you have evidence saying otherwise please quote it. Actually, the surge is a very good reason to encourage it now. Democratic candidates, Nader, and most of congress support drawing down the troop levels in Iraq. Without the present levels of troops, we would no longer have the capacity to help the Iraqis implement a soft partition if they so choose. The situation between the US and Russia is not only quite a bit different then Iraq's with Iran, but we do not bully Russia around (anymore). While it is true, we did so after the soviet collapse; Russia's strengthening economy and its now stable government have allowed it to be much more insistent about its agenda then previously. Take the US missile shield, the US wants to build interceptor bases in eastern (some former soviet) nations. Russia has opposed this quite vehemently. Not only did you mistake the nature of us-Russia relations, but you also mistook Iraq Iranian relations. Iraq is recovering from an invasion and has very little in the way of influence. Iran meanwhile, is an oil producing nation (much more then Iraq) that has not had its infrastructure destroyed by an invasion or insurgency, and has a powerful military (Iraq's is barley functioning). Iraq is in no place to "bully" Iran. What do you mean by "No separation"? Please explain. Iraqis current government is run essentially by the Shia, which marginalizes both the Sunni and Kurds (the Shia has about 60% of the parliament). In this iteration, it will be impossible for it to become truly democratic. If federal government continues to control, everything it will continue to be, in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "a tyranny by majority". The solution to this would be to take the power away from the Shia controlled national government, and to divide it along ethno-sectarian lines. That way the Shia will govern the Shia, the Sunni govern Sunni. The Kurds are a prime example of why this will make Iraq better. They have (as I have said) a Kurdish police and army (that actually functions), Kurdish government, and are more responsible for their own security then most of Iraq. Again, the surge has only worked because of numbers, once troops are drawn down; the progress we have made will erode. We must encourage the Iraqis to soft partition their country while we are still able to assist them in implementing it; while we are still able to help them achieve a peaceful Iraq. That is why you should vote to affirm this resolution, that The United States should encourage the implementation of a soft partition in Iraq. Thank you.