I think the solution is simple. If we get the ego out of our way and have our intention to help and create peace and love and understanding in our planet, we will then find solutions. War does not solve anything. We seem to be too lazy to try other means of resolving issues. There are many other means - but the ego is imaptient.
If people who run the world affairs (mainly the boys) get their ego out of their wau and start thingking one family and solutions for peace and empowerment to all, i am certain 100% that solutions will emerge easy. It is all in the attitude and the spirit. Does not take a big rockert scientists to figure that out. But no one listens to the simple folks r the women who think differently from the immature ego-oriented boys. That is how I feel and think.

One of the misunderstandings regarding peacemaking is that one or both or all of the waring parties must compromise. This requirement is a myth. Mutual satisfaction is possible when the
representatives from the waring parties become a team with the purpose of satisfying the interests, not the positions, of all of the waring parties. Dialogue is the process of cooperation.

Shia and Sunni have been at odds for 1400 years, although in Iraq they have at times managed to live alongside each other peacefully. To the extent that the conflict is religiously based, it must be solved by the parties themselves. In response to the American invasion, Saddam Hussein compounded the problem by releasing everyone in his jails, including some who were outright criminals. And Paul Bremer contributed to the mess by disbanding the military (the only force that could have promoted law and order), putting a lot of armed men out of work. He also forbade any member of the Baath party from participation in government, which meant that he excluded from any role the entire body of people who were experienced at governing. And some of the neighboring countries have contributed to the mess either by funding terrorists (Saudi Arabia) or by training and arming insurgents (Iran).

How can we bring the war to an end?
1) Begin drawing down the American presence, with a definite timetable for complete military withdrawal. We are now the best recruiting tool Al-Quaeda could ask for. "Come to Iraq and help expel the infidel from Arab land. Answer the call of your faith and oppose the modern crusaders" must surely be their recruiting slogan. In the process we are wasting out resources and military.

2) Convince neighboring Muslim countries that it is their interest to have stability in Iraq. A conflict in Iraq could get out of control and destroy Iran (Shia) and Saudi Arabia (primarily Sunni). They must contribute positively.

3) Turn the economy loose and infuse it with enough investment from other oil-rich Middle Eastern countries as well as the U.S. to encourage it. People must have jobs. Men who cannot support their families lose face and get in trouble. That is as true in Iraq as it is everywhere else. Iraqis are creative and will find ways to generate commerce and work.

4) Give up on the concept of pure democracy. It does not exist anywhere in the Middle East outside of Israel (and even there the multi-party system of governing makes that system almost unworkable). Some form of dictatorship will probably arise; the trick will be in trying to see that it is benevolent to the Iraqi people.

5) Let nationals from Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Middle Eastern companies pick up the roles now being played by the American economic presence- funded by their respective countries. That American presence, which thrives on the continuation of the conflict and even has its own armies, has to be withdrawn. If a Dubai company is sophisticated enough to run America's ports (as almost happened), they are sophisticated enough to help run Iraq. And they speak the language, pray the same way, and even have family ties.

6) Tone down the CIA. Had they not meddled in Iran, that country might well have been the first of many democracies in the Arab/Persian world.

7) And then hope for the best, or pray for it if you choose. Much that happens in this world is serendipitous. "Time and chance happeneth to them all."

too long and unfocused.

I believe it will take as long as the various power leaders (heads of state, commerce, religion and humanitarian concerns) will all sit down TOGETHER and negotiate. As hard as it is to say, since I have been an antiwar activist from the 1960s through today, I don't think there is really anything we can do. At least not directly. Haven't we all done what we could? And I include the pro-surge side. At this point the leaders of ALL SIDES must stand up together and actually lead. Not pontificate. Not accuse. Not plead... just be a world leader.

The Iraq war will continue for years I am sorry to say. In fact, I believe Iraq as a country should be split into three parts. One part is already pretty much accomplished with the Kurds in the north. Now we need to separate the Sunnis and Shites. The Gulf Arab states, being Sunni will support the Iraqi Sunni population and the Iranians, being Shite, will support the Shite population of Iraq. I see no other way out of this mess unless the US is willing to commit 100,000 troops, hundreds of billions of dollars, and another 5-10years occupying the country. This I do not accept. The cost to my country is too great, has already been too great. Iraq is not our 51st state. The Iraqis have to make their own decisions and I believe that can't and wont' do that as long as the US occupies the country. Everyone is just bidding their time. Bush just wants to get out of office before Iraq can distengrate further. The US military is caught between rock and a hard place. Do they admit to another defeat, like in Vietnam, yet like Vietnam there is no way to win in Iraq, or they continue to fight in this morass, expecting the US government will refund everything they have lost in the way of manpower and military hardware when the US military finally leaves. So my long answer is draw down US combat troops quickly, offer advisers, both military and civilian and hope to get help from the United Nations. And yes, indict George W. Bush for war crimes for the needless deaths of so many people. Iraq, America, and the world are much worse off with the overthrow of Saddam! Who would have thought!

I am sorry to say, Ammar, that most respondents here have missed the point that despite how the U.S. has twisted the situation in Iraq, its operative political dynamics existed long before the invasion and could continue for a long time unless Iraqis decide to change how they see one another. It really isn't up to America to sort this out. Iraqis need to figure out ways to live together, and need to start now. If they can rise above the Baathist mentality of "my party first" and the American mentality of "me first" they might foster enough solidarity to make the U.S. presence completely redundant. If they can't manage to do this, we'll continue to call the shots there, very badly.