But I want them combined into one policy.
So we reach out to Iran and say that we need you to reach the following benchmarks:
By June 1, 2007: Iran halts all deliveries of EFPs to Iraq.
By July 1, 2007: Iran removes all Iranian agents and Iran-trained agents from Iraq.
By August 1, 2007: Iran turns over all Iranians or foreigners on their soil responsible for killing Iraqi or Coalition civilians or security personnel.
Should the Iranians fail to meet these "benchmarks" we will, in order, institute a no-fly zone over Iran; blockade Iranian ports; and bomb Iranian regime assets.With Syria, we can have similar benchmarks:
By June 1, 2007: Syria halts all traffic of jihadis flying into Damascus and crossing into Iraq.
By July 1, 2007: Syria seizes the financial assets of all Iraqi Baathists living in Syria and turns them over to the Iraqi government.
By August 1, 2007: Syria arrests and turns over all Iraqi Baathist leaders on their soil to United States representatives.
Should the Syrians fail to meet these benchmarks, we will, in order, blockade the Syrian and Lebanese coasts to stop all traffic bound to or from Syria; sell Israel whatever bombs or missiles they request that can hit buried targets; declare the Syrian side of the Iraq-Syria 20 kilometers deep a free-fire zone and begin to bomb any targets within that zone that appears to be a threat to Iraq or America.
If, by September 2007, the Iranians and Syrians are not showing progress, we will re-evaluate our policy toward them and decide if we really need to play hard ball. Indeed, we have asked Iran for a meeting about Iraq:
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said Sunday that Tehran has agreed to a formal request from the U.S. to talk about security in Iraq during meetings in Baghdad, the country's official news agency reported.
Given Iran's track record, might we be getting ready to discuss these kinds of benchmarks for Iranian behavior?
I know, I know, some might say these are "ultimatums" rather than "benchmarks." Such critics might also say that this is not constructive, but merely threatening and no way to make friends.
These critics would be right. Which is why I don't actually support benchmarks with punishments for our Iraqi friends that will just help the enemies inside Iraq kill more Iraqis.
Perhaps it all just depends on what side you are on. What side is our Congres on, again?
