The Iraq Impact

With the election coming up so fast, Democrats are doing their best to draw attention to the United States' entrenched position in Iraq. (For a good analysis of the effect Iraq is having on the elections, read Laura Rosen's blog entry for yesterday). But what people aren’t hearing a lot about right now are some of the newer regional implications of the war.

Today, the New York Times published an article discussing the current plight of Christians in Iraq. It explains that recent comments made by the Pope have diverted sectarian tensions between Sunnis and Shiites while they target Iraqi Christians in retaliation. Rather than remain and face the violence, Christians from all denominations are leaving the country—and becoming yet another group of Middle Eastern refugees.

Additionally, the history of attacks on the Iraq-Turkey pipeline have prompted the United States and Britain to take a serious view of recent threats made to Gulf oil fields. Given the new contract that Japan is negotiating with Iraq, it’s all the more important for the United States to look after its oil interests. Sending warships into the Gulf may just be the first step.