As Iraq government collapses, US deaths are surging - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truthI have a plan for Iraq, that is better than any I have heard so far.
First of all, take a look at the situation on the ground. There is violence inside Iraq, but it isn't everywhere in Iraq. There are some places that are more dangerous than others. Make a list, with the most dangerous at the bottom of the list and the least at the top.
Start at the top of the list, and working with local leaders, and state level leaders develop a plan to move forces into the area to eliminate remaining threats. With a peace settled, hand the power over to local control, and with it the security of that state. Then pull out of it completely.
Take those troops and send most of them to the next state on the list. In the same pattern, mop up remaining terrorists or insurgents and turn over control to the local leaders. One by one as you do down the list, and each state is cleaned of violence and handed over to local authorities troops pull out of those areas. If there is a flare up, and the locals are pinned down, resources may be used to assist them - but no more troops should be sent back to those areas. As you go down the list, send some home every time a state is cleared and send some to the next state.
As the states get more violent towards the end of the list, the troops available will increase since they have been relieved of security duty in more peaceful states. While this is taking place, encourage the local leaders to start to work together, it should be remembered America was not a union at its birth. America was 13 different colonies who came together to form a government. As each state is cleared and troops pull out, elections can begin to appoint someone not only to serve in the local offices, but a representative to a Iraq convention that would begin to form a new government. This representative must be elected by the citizens on a state by state basis.
When the last state is cleared, pack the bags and bring the troops home. We can't make the Iraqis talk, and we can't make them solve their problems. We can give them the space to work in and this seems like the best way to do that. It serves to secure the country and to show them they have to step up and take control of their own destiny.