Political sources and leaked drafts have revealed an Iraqi-originated proposal circulating within diplomatic circles close to President Donald Trump. Led by envoy Tom Barrack, the plan aims to radically redraw the Middle East map over the next five years by converting Iraq and Syria into pro-Western monarchies and expanding Iraqi borders to include Ahvaz and Kuwait. In a striking development, an official stated that Iraq would be prepared to recognize Israel, provided that "the branch is returned to the origin," referring to the annexation of Kuwait as part of this proposed equation.
Barrack’s vision is predicated on the notion that the region consists of a tribal fabric that transcends artificial borders. This necessitates merging areas like Ahvaz and Kuwait into a new Iraqi state under a monarchical system allied with Washington, a move that would leave Kurdish ambitions as the primary casualty of this new regional equation. Concurrently, Iraqi politician Ayad Jamal al-Din called on Shiite forces to exploit any potential U.S.-Israeli military confrontation with Iran as an opportunity to annex Kuwait and end the rule of the "Al-Sabah" family, aiming to both relieve pressure on Tehran and extend Iraqi control.
On the other hand, Aras Habib, leader of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), warned against these foreign agendas, asserting that Tom Barrack "does not believe in democracy for the Iraqi people." Habib noted that foreign powers are proposing alternatives such as a monarchy leading to dynastic rule or ambiguous transitional governments, describing these scenarios as a grave threat to national sovereignty. He cautioned that "everything is possible, including direct intervention by Trump" to forcibly re-engineer the region away from democratic aspirations.