Raising Shia influence would stabilize the Arab world?

Apparently this is one of the strange ideas of the Bush-era neo-cons who were deciding policy in Iraq.

Just one of the interesting insights in this Vanity Fair article from David Rose. He outlines efforts by Sunnis in the heart of the heartland of the Iraqi insurgency, including sheikhs, businessmen and academics, to reach out to US officials and cooperate to rebuild the country as early as 2004.

Despite talks with some high-level US officials who agreed bringing them in would help to stem the deterioration of security in the country, including military figures, those in Washington remained steadfast that dealing with anyone with connections to the Ba'ath Party or Sunni insurgents was off limits.