Iraq Study Group to Bush: Pull back troops

[cynatnite]

A much-discussed independent panel will recommend that U.S. troops in Iraq be withdrawn, according to an article that will appear on the front page of The New York Times.

"The bipartisan Iraq Study Group reached a consensus on Wednesday on a final report that would call for a gradual pullback of the 15 American combat brigades now in Iraq but stopped short of setting a firm timetable for their withdrawal," write David E. Sanger and David S. Cloud, citing sources close to the group.

The report by the panel, led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton, will be given next week to the President. Sanger and Cloud indicate that the report avoids "a specific timetable, which has been opposed by Bush, but it clear that the American troop commitment should not be open-ended."

The article says that Bush will be urged to start troop withdrawal soon, the "implicit message" being that it should begin in 2007. As for the American combat brigades presently in Iraq, it was unclear whether they "would be brought home, or simply pulled back to bases in Iraq or in neighboring countries."

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/NYT_Iraq_panel_to_recommend_troop_1129.html

[don954]

1. boy, that sounds familiar, doesnt it?

hummm....????

[cynatnite]

2. A lot of people are going to be disappointed...

they expected a magic answer to fix the war and got this instead.

[MADem]

3. A strategic redeployment to the periphery, mayhaps? My, my, my! NT

[Philosoraptor]

4. But, what about the glorious victory and 200 million $ victory party?

I hope that is still on.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. No wonder Little Lord Pissypants

was putting his foot down yesterday, declaring that we would not leave Iraq.

Between getting snubbed by al-Maliki and then this, his knickers must be in a major twist.