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Baker panel preparing Iraq alternatives
10.10.2006 |
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WASHINGTON -
James A. Baker III, the former secretary of state
with a long-standing reputation of service to
Republican presidents and the Bush family in
particular, has joined a list of prominent
Republicans raising questions about the
administration's Iraq policy.
Co-chairman of a bipartisan commission studying what
to do next in the wartorn country, Baker said his
panel is preparing to recommend that President Bush
consider options other than his "stay-the-course"
strategy in Iraq.
"Our commission believes that 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," the former secretary of
state said.
Partisan critics of Democratic proposals to consider
drawing down U.S. troops in Iraq at times call that
kind of talk a "cut and run" strategy.
Baker did not disclose specific proposals that might
be adopted by the commission, which plans to issue
its report after the November congressional
elections. But his remarks Sunday on the ABC's "This
Week" were the latest in which a high-profile
Republican has seemed to say it is time for the
administration to consider other alternatives in
Iraq. |
Former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker
Photo: Reuters |
White House spokesman Tony Snow said that when the
commission makes its proposals, "We are going to
take them seriously." Asked if the administration
would make changes after the election, Snow said
"There are tactical and strategic changes and
adjustments that are made all the time. That's the
nature of a war."
The mounting U.S. costs of the Iraq war — more than
$300 billion and more than 2,700 American troops
dead — has taken a toll on Bush's popularity ratings
and on Republican prospects for retaining control of
Congress in the Nov. 7 elections.
Agreeing in part with Bush, Baker said "if we picked
up and left right now" Iraq would be plunged into
"the biggest civil war you've ever seen," with
Turkey, Iran, Syria and other neighboring countries
getting involved.
But he made it clear that the commission would
advise changes in U.S. strategy, nevertheless.
"We're going to come up, hopefully, with some
recommendations that the Congress and the president
and the country can look at," he said.
Just last week, Senate Armed Services Committee
Chairman John Warner, R-Va., returned from a trip to
Iraq to say the war there was "drifting sideways."
Warner, usually an administration loyalist, said
that if Iraqis do not made progress in three months
to reduce ethnic fighting and bolster reconstruction
efforts, Congress would have to make "bold
decisions."
Just last week, Bush's first secretary of state,
Colin Powell said, "Stay the course isn't a good
enough answer, because to stay the course you have
to have a finish line."
Other Republicans who have been critical of aspects
of Bush's Iraq policies have included Sens. Chuck
Hagel of Nebraska and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island
and Rep. Christopher Shays (news, bio, voting
record) of Connecticut. Chafee and Shays face
difficult re-election races next month.
Baker also questioned the administration's policy of
not talking to Iran or Syria, whom the United States
has accused of helping terrorism.
"I don't think you restrict your conversations to
your friends," said Baker, who noted he had made 15
trips to Damascus as secretary of state.
"It's got to be hard-nosed," Baker said. "It's got
to be determined. You don't give away anything, but
in my view it is not appeasement to talk to your
enemies."
Baker was a close adviser to Bush's father,
President George H.W. Bush, serving him both as
White House chief of staff and secretary of state.
He came to the aid of the current president during
the Florida recount during the contested election of
2000, has a long track record of loyalty to the Bush
family and the GOP and has developed a reputation of
being conservative but pragmatic.
Baker said Sunday he would like "to take this thing
out of politics" by delaying the release of the
commission's recommendations until after the
elections, and possibly until a new Congress takes
office in January. The panel's other co-chair is
former Rep. Lee Hamilton of Indiana, who was
co-chairman of the Sept. 11 commission.
AP
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