[Dialogue] Pease in the MIddle East

[KroegerD at aol.com]

Below is the final section of a proposal for peace in the Middle  East  The 
entire article is at: 
_http://www.alternet.org/story/46490_ (http://www.alternet.org/story/46490)  
The Solution 
It requires genuine vision and statesmanship to pull the Middle East from its 
 death spiral. The elements of a possible solution are there if the will 
exists  to postulate an alternative to the politics of fear, bigotry and hatred. 
The first step must be the recognition that the solution to the Iraq crisis  
must be generated first internally, and then, importantly, at the regional  
level. The two are linked and the successful resolution of one would lead to the 
 other. 
No foreign power, no matter how benevolent, should be allowed to dictate the  
terms of a possible historic and stable settlement in the Middle East. No 
other  region of the world would tolerate such a wanton interference in its  
affairs. 
That is not to say that due consideration should not be given to the  
legitimate interests of the great powers in the area, but the future of the area  
should not be held hostage to their designs and exclusive interests. 
Secondly, the basis of a settlement must take into account the fact that the  
forces that have been unleashed by the invasion of Iraq must be acknowledged 
and  accommodated. These forces, in turn, must accept limits to their demands 
and  claims. That would apply, in particular, to the Shias and the Kurds, the 
two  communities who have been seen to have gained from the invasion of Iraq. 
Thirdly, the Sunni Arab community must become convinced that its loss of  
undivided power will not lead to marginalisation and discrimination. A mechanism  
must be found to allow the Sunni Arabs to monitor and regulate and, if need 
be,  correct, any signs of discrimination that may emerge in the new Iraqi 
state. 
Fourthly, the existing states surrounding Iraq feel deeply threatened by the  
changes there. That needs to be recognised and treated in any lasting deal 
for  Iraq and the area. 
A way has to be found for introducing Iran and Turkey into a new security  
structure for the Middle East that would take into account their legitimate  
concerns, fears and interests. It is far better that these countries are seen to  
be part of a stable order for the area rather than as outsiders who need to 
be  confronted and challenged. 
The Iraqi government that has arisen as a result of the admittedly flawed  
political process must be accepted as a sovereign and responsible government. No 
 settlement can possibly succeed if its starting point is the illegitimacy of 
the  Iraqi government or one that considers it expendable. 
A Brighter Future 
The end state of this process would be three interlinked outcomes. The first  
would be a decentralised Iraqi state with new regional governing authorities  
with wide powers and resources. 
Devolution of power must be fair, well planned, and executed with equitable  
revenue-distribution. Federal institutions would have to act as adjudicators  
between regions. Security must be decentralised until such time as confidence  
between the communities is re-established. 
The second essential outcome would be a treaty that would establish a  
confederation or constellation of states of the Middle East, initially including  
Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. The main aim of the confederation would be to  
establish a number of conventions and supra-regional bodies that would have 
the  effect of acting as guarantors of civil, minority and community rights. 
The existence of such institutions can go a long way towards removing the  
anxiety disadvantaged groups feel when confronted with the radical changes  
sweeping the area. The gradual build up of such supra-national institutions in  
the proposed confederation may also expand to cover an increased degree of  
economic integration and harmonisation. 
That may include a regional development body which would help establish and  
fund common energy and infrastructure policies. Lastly, an indispensable end  
outcome is a regional security pact that would group the countries of the Arab 
 Middle East with Iran and Turkey, at first in some form of anti-terrorism 
pact,  but later a broader framework for discussing and resolving major security 
issues  that impinge on the area as a whole. 
That would also provide the forum for combating the spread of virulent  
ideologies and sectarian hatreds and provide the basis for peacefully containing  
and resolving the alarm that some countries feel from the apparent expansion of 
 Iranian influence in the area. 
The Importance of the U.S. 
It was the U.S. that launched this phase of the interminable Middle East  
crisis, by invading Iraq and assuming direct authority over it. Whatever project  
it had for Iraq has vanished, a victim of inappropriate or incoherent 
policies,  and the violent upending of Iraq's power structures. 
Nevertheless, the U.S. is still the most powerful actor in the Iraq crisis,  
and its decisions can sway the direction and the manner in which events could  
unfold. 
In other areas of the world, the U.S. has used its immense influence and  
power to cement regional security and economic associations. There is no reason  
why the regional associations being mooted in conjunction with a decentralised 
 Iraqi state, could not play an equally important part in resolving the Iraqi 
 crisis and dispersing the dangerous clouds threatening the region. 
The Iraqi Proposals 
1. Iraq government calls for regional security conference including Iraq's  
neighbours to produce an agreement/treaty on non-intervention and combating  
terrorism. Signatory states will be responsible to set of markers for  
commitments. 
Purpose: To reduce/eliminate neighbouring countries' support for insurgents,  
terrorists and militias. 
2. Iraq government calls for preparatory conference on a Middle-Eastern  
Confederation of States that will examine proposals on economic, trade and  
investment union. Proposals will be presented for a convention on civil, human  and 
minority rights in the Near East, with a supreme court/tribunal with  
enforcement powers. 
Purpose: To increase regional economic integration and provide minorities in  
signatory countries with supra-national protection. 
3. Iraq government calls for an international conference on Iraq that would  
include Iraq, its regional neighbours, Egypt, the UAE, the U.S., U.K., France, 
 Germany, Russia and China that would aim to produce a treaty guaranteeing:  
Iraq's frontiers; the broad principles of Iraq's constitutional arrangements;  
establishing international force to replace the multi-national force over 12 
to  18 months; and appointing international co-ordinator to oversee treaty  
implementation. 
Purpose: To arrange for the gradual and orderly withdrawal of American  
troops, ensure that Iraq develops along constitutional lines, confirm Iraq and  its 
neighbours' common frontiers. 
4. Iraq government will introduce changes to government by creating two  
statuary bodies with autonomous financing and independent boards: a  
reconstruction and development council run by Iraqi professionals and  technocrats with 
World Bank/UN support; and a security council which will  oversee professional 
ministries of defence, interior, intelligence and national  security. 
Purpose: To remove the reconstruction and development programme from  
incompetent hands and transfer them to an apolitical, professional and  independent 
body. Also to remove the oversight, command and control over the  security 
ministries from politicised party control to an independent,  professional and 
accountable body. 
5. The entire peace plan, its preamble and its details must be put before the 
 Iraqi parliament for its approval. 
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