I think the remarks of outgoing US Army chief Gen. Ray Odierno on the possible partition of Iraq have been reported in a sensationalist way.  He just said that Sunni-Shiite relations in Iraq are at a nadir and that the country could look different in the future.  But he was careful to say that such decisions are for local people to determine, and that in any case the first order of business is to defeat Daesh (ISIS, ISIL).

Still, he did get drawn into speculating about the partition of Iraq, which was probably unwise.

Iraq will likely continue to have a Canada-like federalism with substantial provincial prerogatives, Quebec-style, for the Kurdistan Regional Government.

But a formal partition, while possible, is unlikely and in any case would be a bad idea.