We believe it's reached the point of no return. We have recommended — based on studies done every six months since the U.S. invasion — that the administration face up to the reality that the only choices for Iraq are how and how violently it will break up. —Pauline Baker, president of Fund for Peace, as quoted by Robin Wright in"Iraq, 'Sinking Fast,' Is Ranked No. 2 on List of Unstable States"

The ultimate breakup of Iraq really isn't news—except to the media, which seldom even mention the possibility. As for the administration "facing up to reality," the administration's interest is in getting the "oil agreement" signed so the multinationals can have their share of the plunder. Any entity that can sign the documents will do, though a united Iraqi government would be preferable since it would forestall questions about the legitimacy of the contracts.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell laid it out recently on "Face the Nation" —

On the Iraqi political front ... the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been "a big disappointment. They have not done the things that they know they need to do to hold their country together -- things like the new oil law, things like local elections, things like finishing the de-Baathification process."

You can forget the fluff about local elections or de-Baathification.

Related posts
Israeli troops in "Iraq" (3/6/06)
The Bush plan for Iraq: What you should expect (1/11/07)
A different view of the Sunni-Shia conflict in Iraq (5/9/07)

Tags: * Iraq partition Fund for Peace Iraq withdrawal Iraq division oil law