Letter: Partitioning Iraq is a reasonable solution

Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007 | 7:47 a.m.

Upon reading the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, I concluded: What is wrong with partition? The U.S. makes it sound like a dirty word. If chaos and widespread fighting could produce a de facto partition, then why not just do it now?

If you can start afresh, and bring stability to three small portions of the country, allowing the Kurds, Sunnis and Shiite designated areas to live in peace, what's wrong with that? More than a million Iraqis have fled to Syria and Jordan, stressing out those countries. They would be able to return to their lives in Iraq with security, knowing the area they are living in would be productive and safe. If some have to uproot and move into a different area, I would think that would be a welcome change rather than shooting and being shot at by your "brother."

In my humble opinion, if partition took place now, and the government was able to slowly bridge the gap between these three areas, where they were basically having a "timeout," and once the normality of life kicked it and tempers cooled, they could reasonably talk out their differences and live together in peace.

We have created such a hornets' nest, which Vice President Dick Cheney feels is the right way to go. He is in the 30 percent minority of Americans' will.

On this subject, President Bush should make his word true: That anyone in the White House who had anything to do with outing Valerie Plame (Wilson) would have to go! Dick, pack your bags!

Sandra Miner, Las Vegas