A new Iran/Iraq strategy.

Ran across a story talking about how the Iraq Sunni/Shia conflict has spread discord between the groups throughout other countries in the region, how the Iranians are now having to deal with their Sunni minority and the Saudis are facing a similar problem, and it got me to thinking.

Remember the Iran/Iraq war which was carefully monitored by the US who shipped arms and support to both sides more or less guaranteeing an extended eight year stalemate which hobbled both countries both in the short term and the long term? I'm beginning to wonder if the whole Iraq project might be being utilized in the same manner only along religious and cultural lines when you throw in the Kurds.

I mean, if the countries in the region have to deal with local independence movements and political stability they are far less likely to either a) unify or b) project any significant political or military impact towards Israel. This idea of tribalizing many of the Islamic mid-east countries is vaguely outlined in the "Clean Break" strategy papers in relation to Syria prepared by Feith, Perle, and Wurmser for incoming Likud chairman Netanyahu.

Couple that with the fact that many of the current policy makers, Cheney, Elliot Abrams, Rumsfeld, as well as the better president Bush, were involved in the support of Saddam(see Rumsfeld picture above after Saddam had "gassed his own people") and the arms shipments to Iran, and it just makes me kind of wonder.

No direct conclusion, just kind of riffing this Wednesday afternoon. But, after the last post and the evidence of some questionable behavior by British Intelligence down in Basra, I was just sitting here thinking about it from the other side. Who benefits from increased intra muslim conflict in the middle east? Clearly Israel, up to the point that the various factions arm up, but does the US/British alliance?

I just keep remembering the anecdotal account of the firing of Gen Garner. The story was that he was sitting in Bagdhad a few days after the US troops fought their way in, and began setting up plans to hold Iraqi elections in 90 days. He was promptly relieved from that duty, only to be replaced by Bremer whose first order of business was to shelve those 90 day plansand to set about establishing the privatization of industries.

It was anecdotal from someone like Robert Fisk, but it just makes me think.

Update: Interesting. Came across this two minutes after I finished the post. Justin Raimondo is pushing a somewhat similar theory. Skip on down abit and read how the current offensive in Tal Afar falls in with this tribalism in relation to the Kurds, as well as the link to the Sy Hersh story citing Israeli intelligence and military support for the Kurds whose proclaimed "homeland" just happens to extend well into northern Iran.. And he throws Ledeen into the theorists supporting continued islamic infighting.