Some local Republicans have been pushing to have Abraham Lincoln’s surname taken off the Lincoln/Reagan Day dinners held annually.
These dinners are held all over the United States mostly county wide. They raise money for the local party so they can give to candidates within their area.
A small minority argues that Lincoln was a big-government power monger. In fact, Lincoln was a Burkean Conservative who promoted change through compromise and the law.
Even before the Civil War broke out in South Carolina, he was promoting a plan that would keep slavery in the states it already existed in.
In the spring of 1862, Lincoln’s plan for gradual emancipation promoted that states that abolished slavery would receive compensation for slave owners and he was going to give federal aid to these states as well for economical purposes.
After the Civil War ended, Lincoln’s plan of Reconstruction was just as conservative. He believed that the Union had never really been divided.
His Ten Percent Plan granted pardons to those who took an oath of allegiance to the Union, except for high-ranking Confederate officials. When it came to assimilating freed slaves into society, he promoted voting rights for intelligent black men.
Lincoln’s model of reconstruction is a useful one today for Iraq. Hopefully, it will not come to an Iraqi Civil War after the June 30 deadline.
Looking ahead and preparing for such, the United States should promote Shiite and Sunni collaboration. The Sunnis especially need to be brought into the flock, but only if they pledge an oath to a new Iraq.
The Sunnis were the majority under the Baathist regime, while Saddam Hussein oppressed the Shiites. Shiites will most likely have a leading role, and they should – along with the Sunnis.
Working through the law and the already existing Congress, Lincoln staved off pockets of resistance through Constitutional amendments such as the 13th. It turned over the Dred Scott decision, which he knew would cause problems even if an amendment was not passed.
When the new Iraqi government takes over fully in June, they immediately should promote clemency for the Sunni majority that was in power – especially, if they want to retain power in areas like Tikrit.
The U.S. military needs to remain as a presence to promote a representative government.
Pro-American and pro-democracy Shiite religious leaders have been murdered. Abdel Majid Al-Khoei, who was willing to work with the United States, was murdered on April 10. Ayatollah al-Hakim was killed in August, and he believed that was violence was not an ends to a means.
We must protect other leaders, religious or secular, and use force if needed to do so.
Change in Iraq must come gradually and through public policy.
Lincoln’s model of gradual change through assimilation will work as well today as it did yesterday.

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