Hello,

          I read a recent article by Mr. Rebwar Fatah regarding the proposals

to divide Iraq into 3 autonomous federal regions .  I am requesting that you

forward this letter to him . I am strongly in favor of this proposal .

As you may already know, the Iraq Study Group,

chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker, is considering plans

 to divide Iraq into 3 autonomous regions . These proposals will be released

after the  U.S. Congressional elections in November .

     I would like to introduce some ideas regarding the Iraq autonomous

regions and the creation of an independent Kurdistan. There

appears to be serious consideration in the partition of Iraq and

 the creation of an independent Kurdistan as a solution to the

ongoing crisis in Iraq . I am certain you are aware of the

recent legislation introduced into the Iraq parliament that

would create autonomous Kurdish and Shiite regions within

Iraq, a step that could lead to independence for Kurdistan .

I would like to comment on these proposals .

    I believe that the legislation to create autonomous Kurdish and

Shiite regions is an excellent idea for several reasons . Sadaam Hussein

and the Sunni minority have a long record of persecution and genocide

directed against the Kurdish and Shiite peoples of Iraq . I am certain

that you are very familiar with this long and brutal history and it needs

no further elaboration on my part . Furthermore, most of the violence in the

current insurgency originates from the Arab Sunni populated regions . By

creating autonomous Kurdish and Shiite regions these new regions will

be largely free from the current violence, which will be confined to the Arab

Sunni provinces. Indeed, I believe this should be taken one step further

with the creation of independent Kurdish and Shiite nations . With

independence, the newly created  Kurdish and Shiite nations would be

able to defend their borders from the violence emanating from the Sunni Arab

insurgency .The Kurdish and Shiite autonomous regions or nations will be

able to begin building peaceful and prosperous countries .

         However, this idea of creating autonomous regions or newly independent

nations needs to be approached very carefully, especially in the creation

of the new borders. In the attached map- Iraqpartition #2 and Iraqpartition #1-

I have outlined  2 options as to what I believe would be the most rational 

borders for these 2 nations . I will mainly refer to the borders of Kurdistan since

this is your main interest . I believe that the cities of Kirkuk and Mosul should be

 included within Kurdistan due to the large Kurdish populations within these cities .

Iraqpartition #2 indicates the border under this option. I realize that there are significant Sunni Arab minorities in these cities . However, there are significant Kurdish minorities

within Baghdad and elsewhere . There would need to be a peaceful relocation

of the Sunni Arab population in Kurdistan to the Arab Sunni region as well as a

similiar relocation of Kurdish people living within the Arab Sunni areas to the new

Kurdistan. This would be facilitated by generous financial asistance to those who

would need to be relocated. It also should be financed by funding from the

United States government . Iraqpartition #1 is an alternative in which the area of Mosul

west of the Tigris would be part of the Sunni Arab nation but in which all of the

governate of Kirkuk would be included in Kurdistan .

       You will also notice that I have included a large area of western Iraq, the

area north of the Euphrates River and extending to the Syrian border, within

Kurdistan. I believe that it is essential that this area be include within Kurdistan

for several reasons . This region is sparsely populated desert so whether it

is part of Kurdistan or Arab Sunni Iraq will have little effect on the very small

number of people living within this region . However, if you look at the map

"Greater Kurdistan " you will see that it is important for the new Kurdish state

to have a border with the Euphrates River . You will notice that in Turkey that

almost the entire Kurdish population is south and east of the Euphrates .

In Syria, the entire Kurdish population is east of the Euphrates with the remainder

sparsely populated desert . The Euphrates forms a natural and easily defensible

border for a future Greater Kurdistan . One cannot predict the future but it is possible

that in some future time the Kurdish areas of Syria and Turkey will become part

of a Greater Kurdistan. That is why it is important to establish the Euphrates as

the border to set a precedent . Also, if you look at the map " Iraq Oil#2  " you will notice

that there are only 3 oil pipelines through which the oil wealth of Kurdistan may be

exported . One of these is through Turkey . Due to the historical hostility of Turkey 

towards the Kurdish people it is possible that Turkey could shut down the oil pipeline 

from Kurdistan to Turkey . Therefore, an alternative oil pipeline, the one that leads from

Kirkuk to western Iraq, may need to be included within Kurdistan( option Iraq partition#2 ). Furthermore, the  United States would prefer to have a Syria that was bordered by a

friendly Kurdistan than an insurgency controlled Arab Sunni nation , given the current

hostility between  Syria and the United States . You will notice that I have designed the

 Shiite borders  with the same idea .The Shiite nation would also include

 eastern Baghdad with the  Tigris River as the border . In Iraq partition#1 the Shiite region

would extend along the Tigris to include the city of Sammara, which has significant

religious significance to the Shiite people.

       I believe now is the time for an independent Kurdistan . By cooperating with the

Shiite parties in the south who also desire a separate Shiite autonomous region

or independent nation it will be possible for both areas to become independent

nations. An oil poor, insurgency wracked Arab Sunni region is no

longer in the position to prevent the creation of independent Kurdish and Shiite

nations . You cannot wait for an indecisive United States government to bring

a permanent peace to Iraq . However, you could certainly point out to the U.S.

 government the desirability of having a friendly Kurdish nation in the Middle East,

one that would be strategically located between Syria, Iran and an Arab Sunni nation.

Furthermore, you could also emphasize your support and cooperation with the

U.S. government in its current dispute over the creation of nuclear weapons in Iran.

I am certain that the U.S. government would look favorably on the transfer of the

large Kurdish regions in Iran to the newly independent Kurdistan . Furthermore, the Kurdistan government could allow the U.S. to establish military bases in Kurdistan . These military bases would be a deterrent to military interference by the governments of Turkey, Iran and Syria which are hostile to the idea of an independent Kurdistan .

      I hope you will seriously consider my boundary proposals for the new Kurdish

autonomous region or ( preferably ) independent nation . Now is the time to begin

the creation of a greater Kurdistan that will have its genesis in Iraq . I hope you will forward this email and attachments  to Mr. Rebwar Fatah any of your contacts in Kurdistan who are interested in these issues .