Law of Law of NationbuildingNationbuilding

Joel RobersonJoel Roberson

Fall 2006Fall 2006

TOPIC:TOPIC: Viable Alternatives to Build a Stable Government in the Iraqi

Political Environment

BASIC PAPER OUTLINEBASIC PAPER OUTLINEFour Major Points…Four Major Points…

Political Landscape in Iraq:Political Landscape in Iraq: Develop a historically Develop a historically accurate description of the Iraqi political systemaccurate description of the Iraqi political system

US Political Invention:US Political Invention: Measure the progress of Measure the progress of the first three years of US military and civilian the first three years of US military and civilian rebuilding of Iraqrebuilding of Iraq

Factors Hindering Democracy:Factors Hindering Democracy: Evaluate the Evaluate the effect religion and other countries have on Iraqi effect religion and other countries have on Iraqi developmentdevelopment

Alternative Political Solutions:Alternative Political Solutions: Propose Propose alternative political schemes and evaluate their alternative political schemes and evaluate their likely successlikely success

PROPOSED PROPOSED ALTERNATIVESALTERNATIVES

Stay the CourseStay the Course

Immediate WithdrawalImmediate Withdrawal

Phased WithdrawalPhased Withdrawal

Increased Troop LevelsIncreased Troop Levels

Internationalize the NationbuildingInternationalize the Nationbuilding

Three-State SolutionThree-State Solution

Stay the CourseStay the Course

Proposal:Proposal: Continue reconstruction Continue reconstruction and troop training programs; and troop training programs; encourage Iraqis to step up.encourage Iraqis to step up.

President George W. BushPresident George W. Bush: “As : “As Iraqis stand up, we will stand down” Iraqis stand up, we will stand down” 11/19/05, Address to Troops in South Korea11/19/05, Address to Troops in South Korea

Immediate WithdrawalImmediate Withdrawal

Proposal: Proposal: Pull US troops out of Iraq Pull US troops out of Iraq as soon as possible; Turn as soon as possible; Turn nationbuilding over to the Iraqisnationbuilding over to the Iraqis

Rep. John MurthaRep. John Murtha: “[W]e have : “[W]e have become a catalyst for violence. . . It's become a catalyst for violence. . . It's time to bring them home.“time to bring them home.“11/17/05, Press Conference11/17/05, Press Conference

Phased WithdrawalPhased Withdrawal Proposal:Proposal: Withdrawal troops over a Withdrawal troops over a

scheduled timetable and strategically scheduled timetable and strategically realign them throughout the worldrealign them throughout the world

Sen. Carl LevinSen. Carl Levin: “[W]e should pressure : “[W]e should pressure the White House to commence the the White House to commence the phased redeployment of U.S. troops phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq in four to six months…make from Iraq in four to six months…make it clear to the Iraqis that our presence it clear to the Iraqis that our presence is not open-ended and is not open-ended and that they must take and make the that they must take and make the necessary political compromises to necessary political compromises to preserve Iraq as a nation.” preserve Iraq as a nation.” 11/14/06, 11/14/06, CNNCNN

Increased Troop Increased Troop PresencePresence

Proposal:Proposal: Increase troop levels to Increase troop levels to provide the manpower to create a provide the manpower to create a stable governmentstable government

Sen. John McCainSen. John McCain: “The simple truth : “The simple truth is that we do not have sufficient is that we do not have sufficient forces in Iraq to meet our military forces in Iraq to meet our military objectives.” objectives.” 11/6/03, 11/6/03, USA TodayUSA Today

Internationalize the Internationalize the EffortEffort

Proposal:Proposal: Turn Iraq reconstruction Turn Iraq reconstruction over to an international force that over to an international force that has experience in political has experience in political infrastructure creationinfrastructure creation

John KerryJohn Kerry: “[W]e have to truly : “[W]e have to truly internationalize both politically and internationalize both politically and militarily: we cannot depend on a militarily: we cannot depend on a US-only presence.”US-only presence.”4/30/04, Remarks to Westminister College4/30/04, Remarks to Westminister College

Three State SolutionThree State Solution Proposal: Proposal: Divide Iraq into: 1) three separate Divide Iraq into: 1) three separate

nation-states, or 2) three states with a weak nation-states, or 2) three states with a weak central governmentcentral government

Peter GalbraithPeter Galbraith: “The most realistic option is : “The most realistic option is for the U.S. to abandon the idea of creating a for the U.S. to abandon the idea of creating a new, new, united Iraq and instead allow the country united Iraq and instead allow the country to break apart, enabling each of the country's to break apart, enabling each of the country's three groups to choose its own government three groups to choose its own government and provide for its own security. and provide for its own security. 11/5/06, 11/5/06, Time MagazineTime Magazine

Sen. Joe BidenSen. Joe Biden: “[M]aintain a united Iraq by : “[M]aintain a united Iraq by decentralizing it, giving each ethno-religious decentralizing it, giving each ethno-religious group…room to run its own affairs, while group…room to run its own affairs, while leaving the central government in charge leaving the central government in charge of common interests” of common interests” 5/1/06, 5/1/06, New York TimesNew York Times