Internal view? Mover-and-shaker Baker is too dictator-friendly for President Bush

Gertz:

James Baker has been lobbying the Bush administration to change U.S. policy in the Middle East. Baker, co-chair of the Iraq Study Group, has sought to lead the Republican administration and the Democratic opposition that dominates Congress toward a staged withdrawal from Iraq in a move that would have Washington woo Iran and Syria.

On Dec. 6, the ISG released its 100-page report and recommendations in a move meant to satisfy Democrats and Republicans. But Baker has been lobbying Congress and the administration to pursue a path that would essentially abandon President Bush's principles of freedom and democracy for Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.

"Baker has sought to build a consensus that the United States complete a pullout before the 2008 elections to remove the issue of Iraq from the campaign," an official said. "This is extremely tantalizing to the Republican leadership."

As co-chair, Baker ensured that all 10 members — divided between Republicans and Democrats — unanimously supported the recommendations. His concept is based on”realpolitik" of what the United States can and cannot do. Washington cannot change Iraq into a democracy, but with heavy U.S. and Arab pressure, Baker believes, the United States could force Israel to withdraw from territories captured in the 1967 war.

Baker, who prides himself as being the ultimate fixer, is also being credited with successfully placing a key member of ISG as defense secretary. Former CIA Director Robert Gates has publicly supported the recommendations of the panel and, as Pentagon chief, would be in a position to implement them. Already, the U.S. military and Defense Department, despite the political stalemate that has retarded military development, plan to accelerate the handover of the Iraq army to the government in Baghdad over the next few months.

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