PRESS RELEASE

August 10, 2006. Baltimore, MD. "It is now time to think about partitioning Iraq into Kurdish, Sunni and Shiite ethnic federations, loosely assembled in Baghdad under an umbrella government that is dedicated solely to supporting the diplomatic, economic and infrastructure needs of the people across its federated regions," says Dennis Rasmussen, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Maryland. "Nothing else," Rasmussen says, "will stop the sectarian bloodshed that is now beginning to outstrip internal insurgency and terrorist infiltration as the top security threats to the people of Iraq."

"The President and those on the right would have you believe there is no alternative to 'staying the course' in Iraq," says Rasmussen. "At the same time, others on the far left are demanding we 'bring our troops home now.' Neither position results in a desirable outcome. I think there is another alternative to the impotence in Washington that perpetuates the bloodshed in Iraq."

Rasmussen explains, "Iraq is already somewhat regionalized along ethnic and Muslim-religious lines, with the Kurds to the north, the Sunni minority to the west and northwest, and the Shiite majority to the south and east. Of course," he cautions, "certain economic guarantees and incentives would have to be included to level a federated playing field, particularly where oil reserves are concerned, but it is achievable."

"There is no question that a rapid pullout of U.S. troops would precipitate a full-scale civil war in Iraq, threaten regional security and the security of the United states, abandon the commitment we made to the Iraqi people, and dishonor the sacrifices already made by our country's military men and women. On the other hand," concludes Rasmussen, "we cannot continue to walk a Path of No Return."