The Case For Dividing Iraq

With the country descending into civil war, a noted diplomat and author argues why partition may be the U.S.'s only exit strategy

By Peter W. Galbraith Sunday, Nov. 05, 2006
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• Under Ottoman rule Until WW I, Iraq was a region divided into three provinces (vilayets), with Shi'ite Basra in the south, Baghdad in the center and a largely Kurdish Mosul in the north OTTOMAN EMPIRE Persia Syrian Desert Vilayet of Mosul Vilayet of Baghdad Vilayet of Basra British controlled

• Under British rule In the postwar division of Ottoman territory, the provinces came under British control, forming the borders for Iraq. It was granted independence in 1932

Persia Turkey Protectorate of Kuwait British mandate of Iraq French mandate of Syria

OIL RICHES Total known oil reserves by province Oil reserves in millions of bbl. 65,810 10,000 1,000 100

Sources: Brookings Institution Iraq Index; GlobalSecurity.org HealingIraq.blogspot.com Iraq Revenue Watch; NASA; DigitalGlobe; LandScan/UT-Battelle TIME Map by Kathleen Adams and Joe Lertola

Peter W. Galbraith, a former U.S. ambassador to Croatia who has advised the Kurds on constitutional issues, is the author of The End of Iraq: How American Incompetence Created a War Without End

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