If I were the President

Sometimes, I like to play a little game I call "If I were the President". When I do, I usually go off on a tear in about 20 different directions, but for here and now, I am going to attempt to play "If I were the President, I would solve the problem in Iraq by:"

I would call every single power broker in the middle east, every single one, no matter what their position as long as they have real power, money, and influence (no figureheads or puppets) and tell them that I was sending Air Force Two to pick them up in the next 24 hours and they could either come or be shut out of the policy making and peace process for peace in the middle east and have no say on what would be decided in the meeting. If they come, they should come prepared. I know they could get to DC on their own steam, but I'm impatient and I want them to get to know each other on the flight and get used to talking amongst themselves. Plus, I want to be responsible for all security.

I would have them in Camp David or other suitable location with all living and able previous Presidents, and Congressional leaders, supported by fully briefed and prepared Joint Chiefs of Staff, Cabinet, and NSA, CIA, along with the CEO of every major American and multi-national corporation doing business in the middle east or interested in doing business in the middle east, and one reporter from every major news outlet in the world, for three days.

I would inform them that the American people were going to be fully informed of every thing I was about to tell them.

I would announce to them that on the fourth day, the U.S. military would begin withdrawing and would be completely withdrawn from Iraqi territory by January 30th (or whatever date closest that is actually possible).

I would announce that all American based businesses currently doing business in every country would either shut down its operations immediately or I would ask Congress to withdraw all tax credits, price supports and whatever else I could find propping them up, if an agreement was not reached by the end of the three days.

I would authorize the oil reserves of our country to be released until further notice.

I would tell them that the past was not to be discussed, only the future.

The first day, each power broker would get one hour to put forth their individual ideas and committments on what they would be willing to do to stabilize the region and Iraq in particular in order for the U.S. to continue to do business with their country.

The second day would be discussions chaired by the panel of Presidents and Congressional leaders.

The third day, each power broker will be asked if they want to modify their stance or committments based on the discussions. Then we vote on which offerings are acceptable. Any power broker who has not stepped up to the table sufficiently for his offerings to be voted acceptable will be given 10 minutes to upgrade or lose their influence entirely. A second vote will be tallied. That vote will stand.

The only thing, and I mean the only thing, that will remain off the table is Israel's right to exist peacefully within it's own borders. Israel will have to bargain just like everyone else, for everything else. Land, wall, whatever.

Iraqi power brokers, the president, the mullahs, whoever, can discuss and either accept all accepted offerings or none by unanimous vote. Either way, the U.S. is leaving the country. The other middle east countries will either take responsibility for making the right kind of offers to stabilize their region or not. Iraq will take responsibility for accepting the assistance of their neighboring countries or not.

One way or another, it's in their hands. It is anyway. All entities who have made acceptable attempts will be given most favored nation status to the U.S., if they are a nation. If they are an entity, like a mullah or whatnot, they will be given favored status and the power that comes from the gratitude of the American people.

Should that entity gain ruling authority over any country, they will remain in our favor.

If they are stalwart in their determination to label our nation their enemy, then we will be their enemy, and no business based in the U.S. will be allowed to do business with them under any circumstances. None. Zero. Unless they want to change their minds. We will maintain diplomatic status with them up until the moment they either declare war on us or we on them. All channels of communication will be open.

If Iraq accepts the peace brokering, and it's middle east partners assist in stopping civil war and once Iraq becomes a stable sovereign country, U.S. corporations will be asked to rebuild their infrastructure, power, roads, schools, you name it, employing Iraqi citizens only, and will be given massive tax breaks to do so, and will be subsidized to do so to a limited extent. They will be expected to achieve solvency in their efforts. They will be required to finish in five years or all grants will be recalled and they will pay back the American people.

That will be the price the U.S. pays for it's mistake. That, and a heartfelt apology from me, the President of the United States, to the Iraqi people and all the people in the middle east for the arrogance and unbridled dicking with them by both the government and U.S. national and multi-national corporations.

It stops now. It's up to them.

For anyone who might think that it would be a huge gamble with the U.S. economy, oil security, etc., I remind you that it's only a gamble if you don't know that you have the winning hand.

We still hold the royal flush. It's in the suit of green and it's dollar signs.

Money talks or money walks. Historically, it has been our best offense and our best defense. Our business is our national security, and that is what Republicans have never understood. They think it's just a method of lining their pockets, when it is a tool of government more powerful than our military when used to the advantage of this country. American business interests exists by the good grace of the American people. The American people will use it to our advantage, or we can nationalize any individual corporation not willing to be a good citizen. Stockholders need to be reminded, and if corporations think they'll get more stability, more security, less taxes, more subsidies, less government interference, a freer marketplace, and survive in a world where their products are banned from the U.S., and probably our trading partners, they might want to start looking yesterday.