In case you're interested in the proposed borders of the recently declared Iraqi Islamic State, this map has been posted on several forums:
Note the rather small Kurdistan, and the rather small Shia state. Fallujah appears to be the capital of the Emirate, even though it includes Baghdad (and Kirkuk and Mosul and... Karbala). Also, somewhat amusingly, Saudi Arabia is labeled Al-Saud Kingdom, not "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." The map was posted without explanation or attribution, so I'd say that it's someone's interpretation based on the cities mentioned in the "Declaration" video rather than an "official" map. Somehow I don't think these are the borders that any other partition advocates have in mind, or any Kurds or Shia... which should suggest one of the (many) problems with any such partition plan.
Hey, if they are going to claim that much land they need to drop the "Islamic State" thing and call it "Dead Guy State" instead.
Posted by: Craig | October 21, 2006 at 08:22 PM
I guess the name of the Shiite part is "nation of the sons of al-Alqami" the Shiite minister who said to have invited Hulagu to come and overthrow the Caliph in the 13th century ?
Posted by: Badger | October 21, 2006 at 09:46 PM
Heads up:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6074182.stm
"Mr Fernandez, an Arabic speaker who is director of public diplomacy in the state department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, told Qatar-based al-Jazeera that the world was "witnessing failure in Iraq".
"That's not the failure of the United States alone, but it is a disaster for the region," he said.
"I think there is great room for strong criticism, because without doubt, there was arrogance and stupidity by the United States in Iraq."
On talks with insurgent groups, he said: "We are open to dialogue because we all know that, at the end of the day, the solution to the hell and the killings in Iraq is linked to an effective Iraqi national reconciliation." "
Smart public diplomacy move, or career suicide? Somehow I don't think he's going to be supported on this...
Posted by: davesgonechina | October 22, 2006 at 03:40 AM
Well at least they kept Jordan as it is is now. This is why we should start sending ambassadors there..to be kidnapped!
Posted by: Batir | October 22, 2006 at 12:40 PM
Ah, al-3lqami? I thought it was sons of bitterness.
Posted by: The Lounsbury | October 22, 2006 at 07:14 PM
I think so. Hasn't Bin Laden compared Bush to Hulagu?
Posted by: Badger | October 22, 2006 at 08:04 PM
I just think it's nice to see how federalism will bring people together.
Posted by: Badger | October 22, 2006 at 08:27 PM
This image has been circulating on jihadist bulletin boards for at least several months. The fact that it is called "The Islamic Emirate of Qa'im" suggests that it was created to coincide with the jihadist/insurgent migration to the Iraqi border town of al-Qa'im and their subsequent conflict there with US forces in April 2005. The fact that it is being resurrected now is not unusual however.
Posted by: al-himyari | October 24, 2006 at 11:59 AM
Cool, thanks. I hadn't seen it before. Doesn't affect the main point, though, which is that the envisioned borders are rather expansive...
Posted by: aardvark | October 24, 2006 at 12:14 PM
There's a lot of empty desert in the west. It is expansive, but not as much as first appears.
Posted by: Dan Ryan | October 25, 2006 at 11:37 PM