Coup in Baghdad

An incredible Washington Times story suggests that the U.S. trained Iraqi army will overthrow Prime Minister Maliki and replace him with a strong man who would restore order while Washington looks the other way.

This coup scenario is being called Plan B.

Another Plan B scenario that might change American strategy in Iraq includes a partition of Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurdish regions.

Still another scenario is a gradual U.S. troop withdrawal.

But along the Arab political and military street there is a lot of talk about the coup overthrow scenario with Sunni generals in exile in the UAE and Saudi Arabia plotting to put a strongman in as the headman of Iraq.

Speaking of coups...

The Australian is reporting that China is getting closer to regime change in North Korea.

According to this account, there are two groups in North Korea: the royalists who support Crazy Kim and another group of Sino-philes who want to get rid of Kim Jong-il and set up a China like government in North Korea with Chinese style reforms.

Of course, this would be a very good thing. It even suggests that President Bush’s policies of Chinese diplomacy and U.N. trade sanctions might actually work. Under this coup plotting scenario, perhaps there would be economic liberalization in North Korea.

Still more on the coup front:

A source close to the Pentagon tells me that South Korean generals wish to overthrow President Roh.

Roh has consistently acted against U.S. interests and policies. He is even telling people that South Korea will not enforce the U.N. trade embargo on North Korea.

Coup plotting generals are waiting for a wink of the eye or a slight nod of the head from Mr. Rumsfeld and the U.S. Defense Department.

The generals are ready to act immediately according to this source.