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Those not with us are against us. We need to demostrate our willingness to punish those against us. I like the idea of an independent Kurdish State - a reward to the Turks for their loyalty. We can spend the $10B on the Kurds. Even better, I'm sure the mullahs in Teheran would appreciate an independent Kurdistan. Poor Jordan, no oil, no real identity, a piece of fiction created from the wreckage of WWI. One would think them more clever - at least enough to preserve their little sliver of paradise. A few air corridors, perhaps ground transit rights, a few acres of sand for a base or two. Not much to ask, not really a sacrifice. Not like asking them to fight. More like asking them to stand aside. We could go on - there are a number of interesting options available. If you are not with us, you are against us.

I like the idea of an independent Kurdish State - a reward to the Turks for their loyalty.

I do too. Really, to prevent one would take some real diplomatic sleight-of-hand, and a fictional "autonomy" that would fool no one. If the Turks aren't with us, then the fiction becomes unnecessary.

I propose our Turkish bases be relocated to Kirkuk and Mosul. And our German bases relocated to Baghdad and Basra.