Conflicting Interests and Agendas in Iraq

The problem with Iraq is that everyone there has interests, and as we continue to occupy the country, we will get further drawn in to their little wars.

Turkey, and to a lesser extent Iran and Syria have an incentive to make certian that the Kurds don't get independence, as that could make the Kurdish populations in their countries restless. Turkey in particular probably won't be happy if the Kurds have too much power even in a united Iraq.
The Kurds want independence. To that end, I think that they will go as far as they can towards ethnic cleansing of all non-Kurds out of Northern Iraq, becasue the fewer non-Kurds who live in the areas htey wish to have, the more de facto independence they will have. Of course, they have to be careful not to reach some critical point where they bring Turkey in.
The Sunni Arabs want control over some oil, and don't want to let either the Kurds or the Shiite Arabs to dominate them and try to get revenge.
The Shiites want some form of election, any form, so that they can dominate the country.
Iraqi Christians want to be able to survive, preferably in Iraq, but if necessary, somewhere else.
Israel more or less wants a docile, non-threatening Iraq. They probably don't want it split up too much, as it would no longer be a bulwark against Iran, although on the other hand, they may not care because they want to overthrow the current regime in Iran, and presumably that would obviate the need for such a counterbalance. The Kurds could also prove to be useful allies, so Israel may be willing to see Iraqi Kurdistan break off (or even encourage it) if they think that they can turn Kurdistan into the bulwark that Iraq once was. At the same time, Israel would like to have either pressure put on Syria, or for us to invade Syria and take out another of their enemies. (I will try to add links later if I get around to it).
The US would like Iraq to become a democracy, and to be pro-American, not necessarily in that order.
Osama bin Laden's desires were expressed fairly well, in my opinion, by Pericles.

So we return you now to the high-stakes game of Risk.

That is all.