Panel to Weigh Overture by U.S. to Iran and Syria
NYT:WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 — A draft report on strategies for Iraq, which will be debated here by a bipartisan commission beginning Monday, urges an aggressive regional diplomatic initiative that includes direct talks with Iran and Syria but sets no timetables for a military withdrawal, according to officials who have seen all or parts of the document.
While the diplomatic strategy appears likely to be accepted, with some amendments, by the 10-member Iraq Study Group, members of the commission and outsiders involved in its work said they expected a potentially divisive debate about timetables for beginning an American withdrawal.
In interviews, several officials said announcing a major withdrawal was the only way to persuade the government of Iraq’s prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, to focus on creating an effective Iraqi military force.
Several commission members, including some Democrats, are discussing proposals that call for a declaration that within a specified period of time, perhaps as short as a year, a significant number of American troops should be withdrawn, regardless of whether the Iraqi government’s forces are declared ready to defend the country.
Among the ideas are embedding far more American training teams into Iraqi military units in a last-ditch improvement effort. While numbers are still approximate, phased withdrawal of combat troops over the next year would leave 70,000 to 80,000 American troops in the country, compared with about 150,000 now.
“It’s not at all clear that we can reach consensus on the military questions,” one member of the commission said late last week.
7 comments:
EPA,
I agree. A tactical retreat and hooking up with the Kurds will allow us to regroup and let the other players know we are still in the game (and to still be be wary of us).
We switch roles. Iran and Syria steps into the ring while we step out. Let all the players beat each other up for a while.
Then when they are exhausted (like us in our current situation) and they wish for peace, we step in with a much stronger hand.
I am for "going long" but in a remote (Iran) kind of way.
However, actual peace, I am not so sure of but still. If the Kurds continue to welcome us, we should help the Kurds hold Northern Iraq at all costs. Al Qaeda and Iran will probably try for Northern Iraq. An open battlefield, unlike urban warfare, is our strength.
We tell the Turks that we will act as a positive influence to try to keep the Iraqi Kurds from threatening Turkey with expansion of "Kurdistan".
Downsize and hunker down. Try to influence things from a distance with the friendly locals. Or just let things play out.
Be silent but ever present. This would be our first real "oil spot". Another front.
Think decades.
Zeyad, Nabil, and Omar (Iraq the Model, Healing Iraq, and Nabil's blog) have me convinced the conditions don't exist for a democratic govt in Iraq, or in fact even a strong man... the only conditions there are those of strife and incipient warfare. Someone is going to get their clock cleaned for peace and progress to ensue.
Kurdistan has already crossed the valley of tears and is ready. They are prepared for the moment where opportunity meets preparedness (i.e. LUCK).
Epa,
I don't read those Iraq blogs. I used to and I recall them as being very positive about the Democracy Project.
When did they change their minds?
In the last month.
All.
Zeyad is now here.
Nabil wants to escape to New Zealand
Omar I think is also now OUT.
That's why IMHO, leaving the troops in Kurdistan is the only viable option.
They will not be exposed to heavy combat for no good reason. The turks will not be pleased, but after the national expressions of the 4th ID sitting in transports, and then Valley of the Wolves..they are far lower on totem pole, so sorry, we can have fewer troops there if that is our desire, or theirs, we can maintain bases near Iran, both military and intelligence.
IN the last 3 days the US army was both protecting and being attacked by SHia militias INCLUDING BOTH the sadr bridages and the Mahdi army, AND since both of those are true, both sunni insurgents and Militias?
WTF?
It's a civil war now, GW.
Frankly this was all written the day that Khoei was murdered by Al Sadr's boyz in Najaf after he had returned from London
I agree epa. Completely pulling out will be a disaster. Staying with more troops and trying to achieve our original goals is a very long shot. Rumy took care of that opportunity.
Instead if continuing to swim against the current, one pulls out into an eddy and observes the current for awhile. Catching one's breath as well as seeing where the current is the least strong for future efforts.
Rethink our strategy. Not give up!!
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