Iraq
Iraq Exit Strategy
The following is not proposed as a "solution", but as a path to getting there. The question, of course: Is It feasible?.
Objective: To seal off Iraq's borders and prevent major infiltration of men and/or materiel and thus confining the struggle to Iraq.
Have coalition troops guard the borders with Syria and Iran. Have the Saudis guard their border from their side, the Jordanians from their side, the Turks from their side. Coalition forces, possibly supplemented by Kurds, guard northern oil fields and pipelines, coalition guard southern fields and Basra. If there are insufficient troops, might the EU, UN and/or NATO be inclined to add troops to such an endeavor?
Let the Iraqis go at it. Might utter chaos ensue? Possibly. But, I submit that, unsupplied, exhausted and with the absence of American troops, they will soon come to cease hostilities and, with the help of behind the scenes mediation that hopefully would include at least Egypt and Saudi Arabia, reach a settlement. Such a settlement may not take a form we would like, but would result in: restricting further loss of American lives and ending armed strife in the area and ultimately bringing the bulk of our forces home.
Any thoughts?