Return-Path: Received: from ns34.super-hosts.com (root@localhost) by littlehornarchive.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id j2JNgpg18320 for ; Sat, 19 Mar 2005 17:42:51 -0600 X-ClientAddr: 68.168.78.205 Received: from mta11.adelphia.net (mta11.adelphia.net [68.168.78.205]) by ns34.super-hosts.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id j2JNgmW18306 for ; Sat, 19 Mar 2005 17:42:48 -0600 Received: from PC1 ([69.163.126.35]) by mta11.adelphia.net (InterMail vM.6.01.04.01 201-2131-118-101-20041129) with SMTP id <20050319234246.TRTZ5402.mta11.adelphia.net@PC1> for ; Sat, 19 Mar 2005 18:42:46 -0500 Message-ID: <004201c52cdd$5a08ae00$0200a8c0@PC1> Reply-To: "pointer" From: "pointer" To: "Pointer" Subject: 'US plans to merge Iraq, Jordan after war' Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2005 15:42:42 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_003F_01C52C9A.499897D0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2527 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2527 X-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information X-MScan: Not scanned: please contact your Internet E-Mail Service Provider for details X-MailScanner-SpamCheck: Status: X-NAS-Bayes: #0: 0; #1: 1 X-NAS-Classification: 0 X-NAS-MessageID: 3235 X-NAS-Validation: {53EAD2CF-C557-44F8-B853-E36C676D72D9} This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003F_01C52C9A.499897D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 'US plans to merge Iraq, Jordan after war' By Aslam Khan ISLAMABAD: 9/2802 The United States is working on a plan to merge Iraq and Jordan into a = unitary kingdom to be ruled by the Hashemite dynasty headed by King = Abdullah of Jordan with Amman as the capital of the proposed new = country, reveals a startling report made available here on Friday. The idea to unite Jordan and Iraq in a pro-US Hashemite kingdom after an = American war is aimed at "ensuring a stable post-war Iraq", according to = Stratfor, a strategic forecasting think tank based in the US. It says that as a US war against Iraq nears both Washington and Middle = Eastern players are working to make sure the expected American victory = will result in strategic long-term gains. "The idea of a central Iraq = populated by Sunni Arabs joining with Jordan to form one Hashemite = kingdom is being considered as one way to secure such gains," Stratfor = says. The plan, authored by US Vice President Dick Cheney, was first discussed = at an unusual meeting between Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan and pro-US = Iraqi Sunni opposition members in London in July. The plan's goal in Iraq is to create a united Hashemite kingdom = embracing Jordan and Iraq's Sunni areas. In a nutshell, the plan = involves uniting Jordan and Sunni-populated areas of Iraq under the rule = of the current Jordanian regime. The report says this will be done if Iraqi Sunni leaders "appeal to King = Abdullah with such a request, which has a weak but still legally valid = justification, as Abdullah is the second cousin of the last Iraqi king, = Faisal II, who was overthrown in 1958". The report says the plan will = bring strategic benefits to the US, Israel and Jordan. Benefits for US: The fact that the Western-based Iraqi opposition = completely depends on Washington will help the "Hashemite Plan". The US = favours the plan because the current goal of replacing Saddam Hussein = with a pro-US Iraqi government still would not guarantee long-term US = control over the territory and its oil. "First, it may become too hard for a new government in Baghdad to = effectively control the whole country, even with US troop support. An = example is Afghanistan, in which the government of President Hamid = Karzai still controls only the capital," the report says. "Second, the new government's attempts to establish control over all of = Iraq may well lead to a civil war between Sunni, Shia and Kurdish ethnic = groups, with US troops caught in the middle. The fiercest fighting could = be expected for control over the oil facilities," it adds. Uniting = Jordan and Iraq under a Hashemite government will give US several = strategic advantages. "First, the creation of a new pro-US kingdom under the half-American = Abdullah will shift the balance of forces in the region heavily in the = US favour," the report says. After eliminating Iraq as a sovereign = state, there would be no fear that one day an anti-American government = would come to power in Baghdad, as the capital would be in Amman. "Current and potential US geopolitical foes Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria = would be left isolated from each other, with big chunks of land between = them under control of the pro-US forces," according to Stratfor. "Equally important, Washington would be able to justify its long-term = and heavy military presence in the region as necessary for the defence = of a young new state asking for US protection and to secure the = stability of oil markets and supplies. That in turn would help the US = gain direct control of Iraqi oil and replace Saudi oil in case of = conflict with Riyadh," it adds. The richest oil areas would not go to the Hashemite kingdom but to a = widely autonomous Kurdish region that still will be formally a part of = the Hashemite state. To make sure the Kurds don't upset US ally Turkey = by declaring an independent state, US will have the excuse of deploying = its forces in the Kurdish region, with new bases located just next to = oil fields in areas such as Kirkuk. "Washington then will be able to offer the new Hashemite kingdom as a = model for other Arab states, combining what the Arab masses see as the = advantages of a traditional monarchy with the benefits of a US = alliance," the report says. "The potential combination of educated Iraqis, US aid and military = assistance, and oil revenues might help the new state become a beacon = for the Arab world to follow," it adds. Were more states to adopt this = example, the geopolitical influence of both Saudi Arabia and Egypt would = decline, making it easier for Washington to deal with them. "In case of a future conflict with Saudi Arabia or Iran, US forces would = be in the ideal position to strike not only from sea but also from land = by using new bases in the Hashemite kingdom and the Kurdish region," the = report reveals. Benefits for Israel: "Iraq, arguably Israel's most determined foe, will = be eliminated and Baghdad's end will deprive the Palestinians of much = financial and other assistance, which can reduce the effectiveness of = attacks against the Jewish state." Benefits for Jordan: "King Abdullah will vastly expand his role and = prominence in the region with a joint Hashemite state, becoming the = second-most important US ally after Israel. In addition to his huge = territorial gains, he also will get a chunk of Iraqi oil. "And Palestinians, who currently make up half of Jordan's population, = will become a minority in the new state, with much less potential to = stir up trouble," the report adds. ------=_NextPart_000_003F_01C52C9A.499897D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

'US plans to merge Iraq, Jordan after=20 war'

By Aslam Khan

ISLAMABAD: 9/2802

The United States is working on a plan to merge Iraq = and Jordan=20 into a unitary kingdom to be ruled by the Hashemite dynasty headed by = King=20 Abdullah of Jordan with Amman as the capital of the proposed new = country,=20 reveals a startling report made available here on Friday.

The idea to unite Jordan and Iraq in a pro-US = Hashemite kingdom=20 after an American war is aimed at "ensuring a stable post-war Iraq", = according=20 to Stratfor, a strategic forecasting think tank based in the US.

It says that as a US war against Iraq nears both = Washington and=20 Middle Eastern players are working to make sure the expected American = victory=20 will result in strategic long-term gains. "The idea of a central Iraq = populated=20 by Sunni Arabs joining with Jordan to form one Hashemite kingdom is = being=20 considered as one way to secure such gains," Stratfor says.

The plan, authored by US Vice President Dick Cheney, = was first=20 discussed at an unusual meeting between Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan = and pro-US=20 Iraqi Sunni opposition members in London in July.

The plan's goal in Iraq is to create a united = Hashemite kingdom=20 embracing Jordan and Iraq's Sunni areas. In a nutshell, the plan = involves=20 uniting Jordan and Sunni-populated areas of Iraq under the rule of the = current=20 Jordanian regime.

The report says this will be done if Iraqi Sunni = leaders=20 "appeal to King Abdullah with such a request, which has a weak but still = legally=20 valid justification, as Abdullah is the second cousin of the last Iraqi = king,=20 Faisal II, who was overthrown in 1958". The report says the plan will = bring=20 strategic benefits to the US, Israel and Jordan.

Benefits for US: The fact that the Western-based = Iraqi=20 opposition completely depends on Washington will help the "Hashemite = Plan". The=20 US favours the plan because the current goal of replacing Saddam Hussein = with a=20 pro-US Iraqi government still would not guarantee long-term US control = over the=20 territory and its oil.

"First, it may become too hard for a new government = in Baghdad=20 to effectively control the whole country, even with US troop support. An = example=20 is Afghanistan, in which the government of President Hamid Karzai still = controls=20 only the capital," the report says.

"Second, the new government's attempts to establish = control=20 over all of Iraq may well lead to a civil war between Sunni, Shia and = Kurdish=20 ethnic groups, with US troops caught in the middle. The fiercest = fighting could=20 be expected for control over the oil facilities," it adds. Uniting = Jordan and=20 Iraq under a Hashemite government will give US several strategic = advantages.

"First, the creation of a new pro-US kingdom under = the=20 half-American Abdullah will shift the balance of forces in the region = heavily in=20 the US favour," the report says. After eliminating Iraq as a sovereign = state,=20 there would be no fear that one day an anti-American government would = come to=20 power in Baghdad, as the capital would be in Amman.

"Current and potential US geopolitical foes Iran, = Saudi Arabia=20 and Syria would be left isolated from each other, with big chunks of = land=20 between them under control of the pro-US forces," according to = Stratfor.

"Equally important, Washington would be able to = justify its=20 long-term and heavy military presence in the region as necessary for the = defence=20 of a young new state asking for US protection and to secure the = stability of oil=20 markets and supplies. That in turn would help the US gain direct control = of=20 Iraqi oil and replace Saudi oil in case of conflict with Riyadh," it = adds.

The richest oil areas would not go to the Hashemite = kingdom but=20 to a widely autonomous Kurdish region that still will be formally a part = of the=20 Hashemite state. To make sure the Kurds don't upset US ally Turkey by = declaring=20 an independent state, US will have the excuse of deploying its forces in = the=20 Kurdish region, with new bases located just next to oil fields in areas = such as=20 Kirkuk.

"Washington then will be able to offer the new = Hashemite=20 kingdom as a model for other Arab states, combining what the Arab masses = see as=20 the advantages of a traditional monarchy with the benefits of a US = alliance,"=20 the report says.

"The potential combination of educated Iraqis, US aid = and=20 military assistance, and oil revenues might help the new state become a = beacon=20 for the Arab world to follow," it adds. Were more states to adopt this = example,=20 the geopolitical influence of both Saudi Arabia and Egypt would decline, = making=20 it easier for Washington to deal with them.

"In case of a future conflict with Saudi Arabia or = Iran, US=20 forces would be in the ideal position to strike not only from sea but = also from=20 land by using new bases in the Hashemite kingdom and the Kurdish = region," the=20 report reveals.

Benefits for Israel: "Iraq, arguably Israel's most = determined=20 foe, will be eliminated and Baghdad's end will deprive the Palestinians = of much=20 financial and other assistance, which can reduce the effectiveness of = attacks=20 against the Jewish state."

Benefits for Jordan: "King Abdullah will vastly = expand his role=20 and prominence in the region with a joint Hashemite state, becoming the=20 second-most important US ally after Israel. In addition to his huge = territorial=20 gains, he also will get a chunk of Iraqi oil.

"And Palestinians, who currently make up half of = Jordan's=20 population, will become a minority in the new state, with much less = potential to=20 stir up trouble," the report adds.

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