Dean's World

I support the idea of the constitution that the Iraqi factions are developing. But precisely because the outcome, if successful, guarantees a weak central government combined with wide devolution of powers into the hands of the separate shi'a Arab, sun'a Arab, and Kurdish nations. Which promises immediate stripping of the Sun'a of their traditional overlordship and the eventual breakup of Iraq into its national or tribal components.

Divide and conquer works like a charm, every time, throughout history.

And yes, I think the outcome I have in mind is strongly in the national interest of the United States.

Moreover, if I new of some way to break up the Saudi monarchy and smash that country back into its pre-ibn Saud status as a collection of fragmented desert bedawi tribesmen, I would support that too.

(If Matthew Simmon's research that shows production in the Saudi oilfields having already reached its peak and now approaching a near-term end of their massive capacities, then the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is in fact approaching the end of its life as well. And that is very good.)

Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI

Iran is 51% Persian, 24% Azeri, 8% Glaki and Mazandarani, 7% Kurd, 3% Arab and a few other stragglers. In terms of language Iran is 58% Persian/Farsi, 26% Turkic, 9% Kurdish, and a few other stragglers, although it's interesting to note that about 40% of their population speaks something other than Farsi/Persian.

Iraq is quite a bit more homogeneous than Iran on the whole, but the large Kurdish minority is so strong that the possibility of an independent Kurdistan developing can't be discarded. I think the odds of it are a bit lower than Arnold does but I'll hardly shed a tear if it happens.