Iraq Panel Report Gets Varied Reaction

(CBS/AP)  Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is hailing the Iraq Study Group's report as "a tremendous step forward" that will change course in Iraq. But New Mexico Republican Rep. Heather Wilson was disappointed by the report, saying recommendations "range from the blindingly obvious, to the naive and simplistic, to the interesting but underdeveloped."

Reaction to the report is mixed, with Democrats largely supporting the panel's recommendations and Republicans somewhat more skeptical. The White House sees the Iraq Study Group's report as an "acknowledgment of reality" — not an indictment of how it's handling the war.

The high-level commission said Wednesday, at the unveiling of its report, that President Bush's policy in Iraq "is not working." It prodded the administration to embrace diplomacy to stabilize the country and allow withdrawal of most combat troops by early 2008. However, "There is no magic formula to solve the problems of Iraq," said the Iraq Study Group's co-chairman, James A. Baker III.

"There is no guarantee ... of success, even if you implement all 79 of these recommendations. But there is an absolute guarantee of failure
if we pick up and leave," Baker told CBS News anchor Katie Couric Wednesday.

The United States faces a "grave and deteriorating" situation after nearly four years of war in Iraq, the high-level commission warned bluntly, prodding Mr. Bush to launch a diplomatic offensive to stabilize the country and allow withdrawal of most combat troops by early 2008.

After four years of war and the deaths of more than 2,900 U.S. troops and thousands of Iraqis, the United States' ability "to influence events within Iraq is diminishing," the commission warned.

Baker said staying the course is "no longer viable," but added that a quick U.S. withdrawal would invite a wider regional war. The military is already transitioning more U.S. troops to train Iraqi troops, but even if most combat brigades could be out of Iraq by early 2008, tens of thousands of American troops would still be in the fight there, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.

After presenting the report to Mr. Bush, Baker and co-chair, former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., spoke at a news conference at which Hamilton said combat forces have to be moved out "responsibly." By early 2008, the panel thinks some U.S. combat brigades could be gone.

White House press secretary Tony Snow says the report deserves "close study and scrutiny" — and that's what he promises it will get, after which the president will describe what he sees as "the way forward." Snow acknowledges the current situation in Iraq is unacceptable, and says the president isn't disputing the bleak picture in the report.

But there's a difference between taking the report seriously and adopting its recommendations, CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod reports. From the outset, the administration has been clear that the president does not outsource his foreign policy.

Snow says things have deteriorated in recent months, and that's of "grave concern."

But Democratic Sen. Carl Levin says he hopes the report is a death nail in the administration's stay-the-course policy. Some Republicans are also voicing acceptance of the recommendations, with House GOP leader John Boehner saying the "assessments should be given the due respect and consideration they deserve." But he cautions against leaving a destabilized Iraq.

Senate Republican Whip Mitch McConnell called the report an opportunity.

Meanwhile, American troops in one of the most dangerous corners of Iraq are skeptical that they'll be leaving any time soon, despite a new U.S. defense chief and the bipartisan commission's recommendations of a new war strategy.

The soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment welcomed the plans for change, but questioned the panel's recommendation that most combat troops leave Iraq by early 2008.

"There's no way we're leaving in two years, no matter what any recommendation says," said Spc. Eisenhower Atuatasi, 26, of Westminster, Calif. He thought 2012 was more realistic.

Sgt. Christopher Wiacik, 28, of Lavonia, Mich., also was pessimistic.

"It's just a study group. It's not really going to affect the president. I don't see any major changes happening until presidential elections start," Wiacik said. "I think both sides will promise to get troops out and give timelines then, but not before."

The U.S. Army troops, based in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, are still reeling from learning two months ago that their tour was being extended until at least February.

"We've been here for 12 months now and there's been no progress," said Spc. Richard Johnson, 20, of Bridgeport, Conn., as he manned a machine gun on the rooftop of an outpost ringed by a shallow moat of sewage.

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[Duty Sailor]

FIRST OF ALL, to bring our "men & women" in uniform safely home from "Ooola Boola land" (aka, Afghanee & Irakee), someone is going to HAVE TO STAND UP TO Halliburton, and all of the various contractors, and say, "We want to end this conflict, to you are going to have to stop making money off of the the blood of our troopers". Then, and only then will the withdrawal start.
Nuff Said,
YN1 MIKE GALINDO, USN, P.D.R.L.
22-year Canoe Club career (which
included "18-months in-country"
Chula Vista, California

[antoniof123]

I am just wondering how long it is going to take this time for the American people so tell there congress to stop funing the war so we can get out? Look how long it took before in Viet Nam. Of course in the process it helped bring down the President because he too was a criminal. I guess if the role model you choose is a crook then you must be one too.

[bluestardad]

Now did anyone really expect these BOZOS to come up with anything that even resembled the will of the people of America? They are a smoke screen for the worst President this country has ever known, Dicktater!

[adian1-2009]

The report from the Wise Men Group is nothing new. We should not have expected more, since old politicians hardly get rid of political agendas and examine a situation objectively. The Wise Report is equivalent to the Latin poet's "Parturient montes . . .". The essence of the report is "it has been going wrong and worsening and course should be changed". Well, that we knew. And Senator Reid finds it a big step forward! The report is flawed since it departs from the premise that Iraq is a compact nation. It is not. Iraq, a country created after the Great War by special design convenient to the British, is made up of not less than three disparate regions. Iraq has been trying to become a country, a nation, since the 20's. The attack and invasion pulled back Iraq's political and institutional development to square one. So, any future steps to end the war of aggression upon Iraq should not rest on the premise that Iraq is one nation, at least not yet. Going into this misadventure by the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld Tri-Entry, with the help of the federal legislative bodies, Republicans and Democrats, was a huge mistake and an abusive use of military power. They went there looking for wool and ended up shorn! Now we do not know how to fix what we broke. Not even with the advice of our Wise Group of Politicians. To sum up: we went there because of politicians, and we go around getting advice from politicians or ex-politicians.

[patriotic9]

We are not even thinking about OSAMA BEEN FORGOTTEN.Didn't we start this war to capture him DEAD OR ALIVE.And what about NORTH KOREA who herself was clamining to build NUKES and BUSH ADMINISTRATION was calling her claim BLUFFING since it was so far from the MIDDLE EAST,invading there would not help the 2nd coming of Christ.Now North Korea has built the NUKES which they will definately sell to OSAMA BEEN FORGOTTEN as they built for making money (who was allowed to secape from TORA BORA while bush was saving troops fro Iraq invasion,read the book THE AMERICAN SOLDIER).Some people on Fox News Channel call it a success of this administration,that we have not been attacked since 9/11.It seems like OBL is not as stupid as Bush administration.They have first trapped us in Iraq and Afghanistan,remove their worst enemy Saddam without firing a bullet,made us financially and militarily weak and seems like they'll attack us when all of our National Guard will be serving as International Guard in Iraq and Afghanistan and we'll be bankrupt with trillions in debt.Truce offered from OSAMA BEEN FORGOTTEN was a sign that they are ready to strike us again.According to the RADICAL SUNNI ISLAM,it's a part of their JIHAD rule to offer a truce to the enemy before attacking them with full force.

[patriotic9]

continued
According to Shia Radical Islam,their final twelfth Imam named Imam Mehdi,will kill all the UNBELIEVERS and will form an Islamic Empire.The only obstacle in their plan was a Secular Saddam in Iraq who was the worst enemies of the RADICAL ISLAM and RADICAL MUSLIMS.He had killed his own people who wanted to establish a RADICAL ISLAMIC STATE.Islamic Radicals didn't have to spend a single penny to remove SADDAM and he was removed by the the US TAX PAYERS money and tens of thousands of US soldier's lives(the death toll of just 3 thousands US soldiers is a flat lie like WMDs,check out the Jill Carrol story on www.csmonitor.com and islamist website monitor#17 on www.memri.org).Now IRAN in the EAST to LEBANON in the WEST is very close to become an ISLAMIC EMPIRE ruled under those AYATOLLAHs who call us the GREATEST SATAN.Those people who are calling for US troops pull out are not considering the situation when those AYATOLLAHs will get access to all the OIL of the MIDDLE EAST,we'll be thrown back to the stone age.The killing of a CHRISTIAN leader in LEBANON is the sign of execution of IMAM MEHDI's SECOND COMING.Why people are blaming Bush.All he did was interpreted from BIBLE to help the second coming of CHRIST.It's the failure of RADICAL CHRISTIANITY,not of BUSH,REPUBLICANS or United States the constitution of which separates CHRUCH from STATE.

[patriotic9]

alphaa10
It is the second time the Islamic Radicals have used their NON-SENSE CHRISTIAN RADICAL BROTHERS from United States for achieving their goal and this time is worse then the first time when OSAMA BEEN FORGOTTEN had got WEAPONS,MILITARY TRAINING and MONEY from the STUPID REAGAN ADMINISTRATION which he had ultimately used against United States on 9/11.Keep on believing"One nation under GOD"and "In GOD we trust".All the policies based on the commands of GOD,BIBLE and CHRISTIANITY have been failed.When Jeanin gerafallo had warned before the start of this war"If United States sends her troops in the middle of Arabia,United States will be doomed",all the RADICAL CONSERVATIVES who by the way are still in the satate of Denial were making fun of her.
If Europeans from different European countries were not brought into Palestine after WWII to occupy the land of Palestinian people by force when the Palestinians had nothing to do with the CRIMES comited by HITLER on the name of a RACIST and UNJUST GOD,and the UNITED STATES didn't take Oil in cheaper prices from Arabs and support their enemies who were brought in their Palestinian land,we would not see that day.

[alphaa10-2009]

End Game in Iraq----

Days ago, Bush met with Iraqi Shiite Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, intimately associated with the Iranian-supported Badr Brigade, who flew to Washington to marginalize his rival in Iraq, PM Nouri al-Maliki. Bush, by meeting with al-Hakim, leaves unsaid that al-Hakim also may open proxy negotiations with Iran over the future of Iraq, and the manner of US withdrawal.

Beyond another snub to al-Maliki, the Bush-al-Hakim meeting legitimizes al-Maliki rivals who want US troops to leave Iraq now. In effect, Bush, having opposed a measured pullout, opened talks with those who want a total and
immediate pullout. The end game, of course, leaves Iran substantially in control of Iraq-- a situation far worse and more destabilizing than when Saddam was in power.

[alphaa10-2009]

End Game in Iraq-- 1
With his only hope political damage control, Bush now plays to negotiate a receivership to the war he began. This, in fact, is a fire-sale, as Iranian elements sense Bush is more than eager to do business, provided sufficient political assurances.

In marked contrast to the politician who wanted to "stay the course", Bush now will pay almost any cost. While Bush once may have wished to stay on in Iraq, Alamo-style, and entrench Americans indefinitely (if only to avoid the appearance of defeat), Baker and almost everyone else pulling levers have served notice the game is virtually over.

However, even as the Iranians see regional dominance in their grasp, we would do well to reconsider how we end the American misadventure in Iraq. A lasting solution to Iraq is not merely to substitute the Iranians for the British and other great powers after WWI. If Iraq is not truly a nation, but a political amalgam of warring and disparate political and religious factions, there is the viable alternative of partitioning Iraq.

[alphaa10-2009]

End Game in Iraq-- 2
Partitioning the country is plausible, simply because partitioning Iraq allows all sides to win something. Partitioning is also stable, since warring factions are not forced to compete for power in the same territory. The violence stops, and there is no longer the issue of US withdrawal from Iraq, because there is no Iraq. The Sunnis join Jordan and/or Syria, the Shia join Iran and the Kurds have no sponsor but us and a lot of diplomacy-- for example, letting Turkish Kurds migrate safely to the south to join Kurds in North Iraq (the Turks might buy in, if only to depopulate the Kurdish rebellion in south Turkey).

But the process demands a comparatively honest broker, one not identified with the US or UK or regional players like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Iran or Turkey. After his unilateralist invasion, how ironic Bush might find the UN useful, after all. Kissinger observed the best agreements, even with enemies, can be relied upon to work when they express mutual interest.