New Iraqi Government

[mrskippy]

With the collapse of Baghdad and the eventual collapse of Tikrit in coming days, the need to quickly get a new government in place will be important. At least a temporary one, to curb the chaos and anarchy, will be needed until open and free elections.

My personal belief is that the Iraqi National Council and the Iraqi-American people in exile should take a role in helping rebuild Iraq, hopefully into a democracy. I personally believe those who've lived in the West, who've tasted freedom, will serve as an important bridge between the different sides.

I believe we need to work hard to make Iraq our best Arab ally. They are centrally located. If we can keep them secular and get some help from the Iraqi exiles, I think this is possible.

As for the oil issue. Iraq has so much oil. I think we need to find a way to give the Iraqi people something similar to what they have in Alaska. Giving the people a share of the oil money will help their economy and will give the Iraqi people a sense of pride. There is so much oil that I think that every Iraqi could get a handsome paycheck on a yearly basis.

Lastly, America's presence in Iraq. I think our presence will probably be required for sometime to come. We need to work hard to see the transition from dictatorship to democracy goes smoothly. With all the factions this will be tough. However, it's also important that we maintain some distance and only get involved when absolutely necessary. And even that only as a mediator or as a teacher.

My belief is that the military will be in Iraq to stay. I believe that we'll do as we've done in Germany, Japan, Cuba, and elsewhere ... keeping an air force base or two in Iraq. One option would be to consolidate our Middle East military operations in Iraq, not only to help in the rebuilding, but in an effort to maintain peace in the region.

I firmly believe Iraq will come out of this as one of America's strongest Middle East allies after Israel and possibly one of our strongest (if not the strongest) Arab ally.