http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1520.shtml-snip-
The tension between the Bush administration and the members of the Iraq Study Group, illustrates the widening chasm between old-guard U.S. imperialists and "Israel-first" neoconservatives. The divisions are setting the stage for a major battle between the two camps. The winner will probably decide US policy in the Middle East for the next decade.
The failed occupation of Iraq has put the entire region on the fast track to disaster. That’s why James Baker was summoned from retirement to see if he could change the present trajectory and mitigate the long-term damage to US interests. Baker was opposed to the invasion from the onset but his four-day trip to Baghdad convinced him that something had to be done quickly. The ISG report reflects the unanimous view of its authors that Iraq is disintegrating into chaos and that action must be taken to reduce the level of bloodshed.
Baker is not merely an objective observer in this process. He clearly "has a dog in this fight." As Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan he put together the basic scaffolding for America’s imperial presence in the region and he continues to be connected to many of the corporations which benefit from US relations in the Middle East. But he has also always taken a "pragmatic" approach to regional policy and cannot be considered a warmonger. Some critics of Baker say that his business interests suggest that he indirectly supports the Bush policy. But this is an oversimplification. In fact, Baker sees war as a blunt instrument that is essentially incompatible with commercial interests. There are simply more efficient ways for clever men to achieve their objectives.
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An AP poll conducted last week shows that only 9 percent of Americans believe that "victory" in Iraq is possible. Even the hard-core Bush loyalists have abandoned the sinking ship. The only group left touting Bush’s failed policy is the "Israel first" camp, which continues to wave the bloody shirt of incitement from their perch at the Weekly Standard and the American Enterprise Institute. These same diehards are leading the charge for a preemptive attack on Iran; a criminal act that will have catastrophic effects on America’s long-term energy needs.
An article which that in the Israeli newspaper, Ha’aretz, shows how confident Prime Minister Olmert is in the ability of the Israel Lobby to torpedo the Baker-Hamilton report and steer the US away from changes in Iraq: "On his way home from Los Angeles, the Prime Minister 'calmed’ the reporters -- and perhaps even himself -- by saying there is no danger of the US president, George Bush, accepting the expected recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton panel, and attempting to move Syria out of the axis of evil and into a coalition to extricate America from Iraq. The Prime Minister hopes the Jewish Lobby can rally a Democratic majority in the new Congress to counter any diversion from the status quo on the Palestinians." (Akiva Eldar,The Gewalt Agenda)
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it's better to read the whole article as the snips leave out too much
the article ends with this:
Expect Baker to wheel out the heavy artillery and fight tooth-and-nail to reassert the primacy of the American ruling class. "The Lobby" may be powerful, but it’s going to be tough going to take the country away from the people who believe they own it.
The struggle between the political heavyweights is about to break out into open warfare.
(mods - I debated with myself over which forum to put this and GD won. if I'm wrong, sorry.)
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