Iraq In 20 Years - Civil War or Dictator?

So what do you think Iraq will look like in 20 (or more) years? Will it be a prosperous, peaceful, democratic society? Or will it be a barren, anarchic wasteland? Personally, I think that the US (or a US backed government) will only be able to manage Iraq for a brief period of time. Ultimately, the Iraqi people will probably have to choose between nationalist/fundamentalist dictator or a long series of civil wars among kurds/ba'athists/saddam's grandkids. See link: www.brown.edu...

I'm pretty optimistic in how it would turn out.

I'd say ask that question in about a year after we see how it all turns out. It may end up being a big sheet of glass lol

United States of Israel, Sharon & Nibbi provinces.

Iraq will never be idenpendent. Now the US has control of its oil, Iraq will always be a subsidiary subordinate to what ever corporate wins the beauty parades for the contrats to rebiuld and pump oil.

20 years....

The clerics will take over......or will become a puppet state like Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain.

I say the former, becuase in 20 years, there will be no oil left to loot, hence no reason for the invading Us to be there.

~Messiah~

I see radioactive rubble in their future. I feel something bad is going to happen. And the end result will be to flatten Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan.

The Iraqis are on a good road right now. they're going to be incredibly prosperous. Babylon is going to become one of the great cities on this planet. As to the type of government, I hope it's a democracy. There might have to be military presance the first few elections, just to make sure there's a peaceful transition of power, and not revolution, but they'll start to realize that if they don't like who's in office, they can just boot em out come next election.

Babylon will only be a great city if controlled by the US, so that the banks feel they can invest and they will only invest if owned by the Americans. The locals will remain poor and be outsiders to the oasis.

I think the entire future of Iraq depends on the Sh'ites. They have the population majority in Iraq and they have a very big Axe to grind with the Sunnis as well as with the U.S.. They are just sitting back and watching whats going on. If they move, and it does not matter if US Troops are there or not, the entire country will be consumed in the flames of civil war. Then you have a wild card in the North with the Kurds. Retoric coming from the Kurds are moving towards a seperate Kurdish state, which would be an excuse for Turkey to move in and grab abit more "LebensRaum". Twenty years from now? Hmmm, IMOH there will not be an Iraq as we know it now, nor will it be the same size.

[Edited on 13-12-2003 by Jimcrispi]

It's going to become corpland- all corp, all the time. Government? Owned by big bussiness. People? wageslaves. Wealthy? probably. Happy? No. Anarchic? Depends on how bad the rival companies want the oil.

DE

wasteland well i mean i think saddam was a better leader i mean he at least kept things underecontrol