"Stay-the-course" and "cut-and-run" not U.S.'s only Iraq options: Jim Baker

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

James Baker, a former U.S. secretary of state and close political associate of the Bush family, said on Sunday there are alternatives in Iraq for the United States other than the "stay-the-course" policy of President George W. Bush's administration.

Baker -- the co-chair of a high-level panel of prominent former officials charged by members of Congress with taking a fresh look at America's policy on Iraq, which has support from the White House -- said it would be a mistake for the United States to withdraw from Iraq over the next year.

But, in an interview on ABC's "This Week," he added, "I happen to think, and I think it's fair to say our commission believes, that there are alternatives between the stated alternatives ... of stay-the-course and cut-and-run."

[...]

In response to questions, Baker said the task force was weighing the pros and cons of a number of ideas, including one that would create a new power-sharing arrangement in Iraq that would give more autonomy to regional factions.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews...._domesticNews-1

[Mirorgate 0]

James Baker, a former U.S. secretary of state and close political associate of the Bush family, said on Sunday there are alternatives in Iraq for the United States other than the "stay-the-course" policy of President George W. Bush's administration.

Baker -- the co-chair of a high-level panel of prominent former officials charged by members of Congress with taking a fresh look at America's policy on Iraq, which has support from the White House -- said it would be a mistake for the United States to withdraw from Iraq over the next year.

But, in an interview on ABC's "This Week," he added, "I happen to think, and I think it's fair to say our commission believes, that there are alternatives between the stated alternatives ... of stay-the-course and cut-and-run."

[...]

In response to questions, Baker said the task force was weighing the pros and cons of a number of ideas, including one that would create a new power-sharing arrangement in Iraq that would give more autonomy to regional factions.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews...._domesticNews-1

bold mine: Is this where we divide Iraq up along tribal/religious ideologies now? I suppose if the Brits can graft it together, we can tear it apart eh?

[almaty 19]

hmm. i never thought jim baker did a very good when he had the chance..just trying to get his name in the public lights..

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Well, since it is their country, why don't we listen to what the Iraqi people and government want...

71 Percent Of Iraqis Want U.S. Forces To Withdraw Within A Year

The Program on International Policy Attitudes released a new poll on Iraqi public opinion today which finds that seven in ten Iraqis want US-led forces to commit to withdraw within a year. Moreover, an overwhelming majority believes that the US military presence in Iraq is provoking more conflict than it is preventing. The poll was conducted during the first week of September. Here are some of its key findings:

– A large majority of Iraqis–71%–say they would like the Iraqi government to ask for US-led forces to be withdrawn from Iraq within a year or less. Given four options, 37 percent take the position that they would like US-led forces withdrawn “within six months,” while another 34 percent opt for “gradually withdraw[ing] US-led forces according to a one-year timeline.”

– Support for attacks against US-led forces has increased sharply to 61 percent (27% strongly, 34% somewhat). This represents a 14-point increase from January 2006, when only 47 percent of Iraqis supported attacks.

– More broadly, 79 percent of Iraqis say that the US is having a negative influence on the situation in Iraq, with just 14 percent saying that it is having a positive influence.

– Asked “If the US made a commitment to withdraw from Iraq according to a timeline, do you think this would strengthen the Iraqi government, weaken it, or have no effect either way?” 53 percent said that it would strengthen the government, while just 24 percent said it would weaken the government.

– Asked what effect it would have “if US-led forces withdraw from Iraq in the next six months,” 58 percent overall say that violence would decrease (35% a lot, 23% a little).