Ayad Allawi’s Plan for Iraq: Ayad Allawi

Former Iraqi interim prime minister Ayad Allawi has “A Plan for Iraq.” It has the requisite platitudes and bullet points. The bottom line, though, is that we should get rid of Nouri al-Maliki and replace him with someone a lot like Ayad Allawi.

Responsibility for the current mess in Iraq rests primarily with the Iraqi government, not with the United States. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has failed to take advantage of the Iraqi people’s desire for peaceful and productive lives and of the enormous commitment and sacrifices made by the United States and other nations. The expected “crisis summit” in Baghdad is further evidence of the near-complete collapse of the Iraqi government. The best outcome of the summit is perhaps a renewed effort or commitment for the participants to work together, which may buy a few more weeks or months of cosmetic political activity. But there will be no lasting political reconciliation under Maliki’s sectarian regime.

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It is up to Iraqis to end the violence and bring stability, security and democracy to our country. I am working with my colleagues in parliament to build a nonsectarian majority coalition that will support the following six-point plan for a “new era” in Iraq and replace through democratic means the current Iraqi government.

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It is past time for change at the top of the Iraqi government. Without that, no American military strategy or orderly withdrawal will succeed, and Iraq and the region will be left in chaos.

That the Maliki government isn’t getting the job done as a given. But, aside from magic pixie dust, it’s far from clear how the Allawi-like replacement would solve the sectarian divide, fix the infrastructure, and stop the violence.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Tano says:

    Ayad Allawi’s Plan for Iraq:

    Ayad Allawi with emergency powers.

    I wonder to what extent we will settle, at the end of the day, for having replaced the bad Saddam with a “good” Saddam.

  2. brainy435 says:

    “But, aside from magic pixie dust, it’s far from clear how the Allawi-like replacement would solve the sectarian divide, fix the infrastructure, and stop the violence.”

    So… Allawi would run as a Democrat, then?