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Editorial
Iraq and the Facts of Life
Published: November 29, 2006
At this point it is hard to tell who is more out of touch: President
Bush, who continues to insist that Iraq has not descended into civil
war, or Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, who appears to believe
that Americans will prop him up indefinitely.
When the two sit down in Jordan, we hope they will use the time -
finally - to impress on each other the brutal facts of life in their
respective capitals.
Mr. Bush needs to make clear that Americans' patience has all but
run out and that he will start bringing the troops home unless Mr.
Maliki moves to rein in sectarian bloodletting and Iraqi troops start
shouldering more of the burden. Mr. Maliki needs to make Mr. Bush
understand Iraq's full desperation - and his own desperate political
weakness. So long as Baghdad remains in chaos - and militias are
better armed and more motivated than the Iraqi Army - he has no
chance of ending the blood feuds or breaking the cycle of retribution.
This sort of truth-telling does not come easily to either man, and at
this point there may not be anything that can salvage Iraq. But more
denial and drift will only lead to more chaos. The very fact that the
meeting is being held in Jordan - explanations range from concerns
about safety in Iraq to the White House's desire to pry Mr. Maliki
away from his more unsavory backers - should leave no doubt about the
urgent need for a change in strategy.
Mr. Bush needs to start by giving the Iraqi leader a clear deadline
for beginning national reconciliation talks, preferably as soon as
Mr. Maliki returns to Baghdad. And he should insist that the talks
continue until some agreement is reached on protecting minority
rights, equitably dividing the country's oil wealth, and demobilizing
sectarian militias. Mr. Bush does not need to insult Mr. Maliki by
barking out orders. But he does need to make clear that he can hold
off demands for an American withdrawal for only so long.
Mr. Bush should not be the only demander. Reconciliation talks will
go nowhere until Iraqis see evidence that there is at least some hope
for a better life. Mr. Maliki needs to give his own deadline to the
Americans for launching a truly make-or-break campaign to retake the
streets of Baghdad.
Mr. Maliki also needs to tell Mr. Bush that the American training of
the Iraqi Army is failing, and without a more aggressive program, the
army will collapse at the first sign the Americans are leaving. And
he must warn that Mr. Bush's insistence on talking only to friends
won't halt meddling by Iran and Syria.
King Abdullah II of Jordan, who will play host to the meetings, is
warning that unless something drastic happens soon, the Middle East
will face three full-blown civil wars: in the Palestinian
territories, Lebanon and Iraq. If Iraq's desperate reality is not
enough to inspire Mr. Bush and Mr. Maliki to tell each other the
truth, perhaps a look into that wider abyss will.
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