Bush confidant prepares way for radical shift by US on Iraq

[spindrifter]

Julian Borger in Washington
Wednesday October 18, 2006
The Guardian

A radical change in US policy over Iraq after the November elections appeared increasingly likely yesterday after reports that a bipartisan commission headed by a Bush family confidant will recommend an approach to Iran and Syria for help or a withdrawal to bases outside Iraq.

The Iraq Study Group is chaired by James Baker, who was the first President Bush's secretary of state. It is not due to deliver its findings until after the congressional elections on November 7 because of their potentially explosive political impact, but the panel's proceedings have been leaked to the press.

In recent interviews, Mr Baker said the group has taken no firm decisions but made it clear that the current US strategy was no longer an option. "There'll probably be some things in our report that the administration might not like," Mr Baker predicted in a TV interview. He said: "Our commission believes there are alternatives between the stated alternatives, the ones that are out there in the political debate of 'stay the course' and 'cut and run'."

He made it clear he believed there should be approaches to Iraq's neighbours, including those the White House has accused of fomenting the insurgency. "I believe in talking to your enemies," he said. "Neither the Syrians nor the Iranians want a chaotic Iraq ... so maybe there is some potential for getting something other than opposition from those countries."

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1924927,00.html

[grasswire]

1. Is this anything like Nixon's "secret plan" to end the war?

Something's beginning to stink to high heaven about this.

[MadMaddie]

2. Yea they are planning somethng...

[OwnedByFerrets]

3. As soon as the dems take back

the House, the admin will be poised to blame the pullout and eventual collaspe of Iraq completely on the dems.

[joemurphy]

4. I don't see Bush going hat in hand to Syria and Iran to ask

them to help us with our little Iraqi problem. So we'll "redeploy" just as Murtha recommended over a year ago. Bush called the latter "cutting and running". I wonder what the Republicans will call it now? "Peace with Honor"
"Retreat for Democracy" "Strategic Positioning"?

I can't wait to see it. It'll be announced at a service academy, probably, with lots of flags waving, Bush will be up there all made up for television, looking his most Presidential, and behind him will be a blue backdrop with "Retreat for Democracy" emblazoned in multiple entries. This is what our politics has come to.

[Donna Zen]

5. First up!

Jim Asshole Baker, there is no such plan as "cut and run"

Even hearing Baker's voice gives me the creeps. Ugh!

Here's is what I think: There hasn't been any possible exit plan for a long, long time. Baker will propose some flim-flam using the adjective "bipartisan" therefore, getting the Democrats name on the document that awards the U.S. a big "F". The results of this failure will rumble around for at least 40 years. But it will be a bipartisan failure, so WTF. Any further critics of bush & co. need not apply. (Lee Hamilton can bite me.)

[Doctor_J]

6. WHy is the fucker who defended the 9/11 hijackers in court

now running foreign policy in this country? Why isn't he in prison or in exile?

God, these people are just despicable.