U.S. Delaware Senetor Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.'s Plan for Iraq

Alright, before I say anything else, let me be clear. This is not an endorsement of Senetor Biden for president in 2008. I don't know enough about the guy to endorse him completely. I like his opposition to the idea that money matters in an election campaign, and I like his plan for Iraq. That is all for now.

I am not a Republican, and definitely not a Democrat. I am a conservative independent and therefore usually admire Republicans more than Democrats, but the case is different here. Sen. Biden is the only one I've heard to not only have a plan, but have one that I like and think could work.

I'll post the main part of his plan here, but also give a link to his website, as well as some other related links.

A Five Point Plan for Iraq

1. Keep Iraq Together Through Federalism and Local Control

• Federalize Iraq in accordance with its constitution by establishing three or more regions - Shiite, Sunni and Kurd -- with a strong but limited central government in Baghdad
• Put the central government in charge of truly common interests: border defense, foreign policy, oil production and revenues
• Form regional and local governments that give Kurds, Sunni and Shiites control over the fabric of their daily lives: security, education, marriage, social services.

2. Secure Support from the Sunnis

• Gain agreement for the federal solution from the Sunni Arabs by guaranteeing them 20 percent of all present and future oil revenues -- an amount roughly proportional to their size -- which would make their region economically viable
• Empower the central government to set national oil policy and distribute the revenues, to attract needed foreign investment and reinforce each community's interest in keeping Iraq intact and protecting the oil infrastructure. Provide for an international oversight group to guarantee a fair distribution of oil revenues.
• Allow former Baath Party members to go back to work and reintegrate Sunnis with no blood on their hands.

3. Enlist Help from the Major Powers and Iraq’s Neighbors

• Initiate a major diplomatic offensive to secure the support of the major powers and Iraq’s neighbors for federalism in Iraq.
• Convene with the U.N. a regional security conference where Iraq's neighbors, including Iran, pledge to support Iraq's power sharing agreement and respect Iraq's borders
• Engage Iraq's neighbors directly to overcome their suspicions and focus their efforts on stabilizing Iraq, not undermining it
• Create a standing Oversight Group, to include the major powers, that would engage Iraq's neighbors and enforce their commitments

4. Responsibly Drawdown US Troops

• Direct U.S. military commanders to develop a plan to withdraw and re-deploy almost all U.S. forces from Iraq by the summer of 2008
• Maintain in or near Iraq a small residual force -- perhaps 20,000 troops -- to strike any concentration of terrorists, help keep Iraq's neighbors honest and train its security forces

5. Increase Reconstruction Assistance and Create a Jobs Program

• Provide more reconstruction assistance, conditioned on the protection of minority and women's rights and the establishment of a jobs program to give Iraqi youth an alternative to the militia and criminal gangs
• Insist that other countries take the lead in funding reconstruction by making good on old commitments and providing new ones -- especially the oil-rich Arab Gulf countries

Plan for Iraq
Biden President '08
Joe Biden wiki
Iraq's President Supports U.S. Senate's Plan to Decentralise Iraq wikinews
Bush apposes Iraq's Partition, reaffirms support of Maliki TOI
Turkey to Invade Iraq?! Fipher.net

P.S. No news on the water situation. Hopefully Lisa will be able to find out something today. God I love that woman. She brings an ecstasy to my life that just cannot be described in English any better than that- ecstasy.