Senators Question Iraq Panel's Blueprint
    By Robert Burns
    The Associated Press

    Thursday 07 December 2006

    Washington - Senators sharply questioned an Iraq commission's call for a 0anew U.S. war strategy Thursday, saying the Bush administration and 0aCongress must work urgently together to find a more effective approach.

    Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a 2008 presidential hopeful, took strong issue 0awith the commission's call for phasing out the U.S. combat role in Iraq by 0a2008 and focusing instead more on training and advising the Iraqi army. He 0arejected the idea that the Army and Marines cannot spare more combat 0aforces for Iraq duty.

    "There's only one thing worse than an over-stressed Army and Marine Corps, 0aand that's a defeated Army and Marine Corps," said McCain, a Vietnam 0aveteran who will become the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed 0aServices Committee when the Democrats take control of both houses of 0aCongress in January.

    "I believe this is a recipe that will lead to our defeat sooner or later 0ain Iraq," McCain added.

    One of the commission's co-chairmen, former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., 0aunderscored the urgency of changing course in Iraq, where conditions were 0adescribed as grave and deteriorating. He was asked at what point the 0asituation there, if not corrected, would be hopeless.

    "Well, there certainly is that point, and we're perilously close to that 0apoint," he replied.

    Hamilton and his co-chairman, former Secretary of State James A. Baker 0aIII, testified before the Senate committee one day after delivering their 0areport. Hamilton said that a new, more realistic and practical approach is 0aneeded.

    "That's a very tough policy problem, and in order for this to happen, it 0acan't be pie in the sky, it can't be idealistic, it has to be pragmatic," 0ahe said. Later, he added, "We reject the idea that the situation is 0ahopeless."

    Most senators broadly endorsed the commission's report, which made 79 0arecommendations for policy changes. Their skepticism focused mainly on two 0aof the recommendations: a diplomatic approach to Iran and Syria, and an 0aacceleration of the U.S. military's work to train and advise Iraqi forces.

    Hamilton said it was essential for the White House and Congress to work 0atogether on this, and he criticized lawmakers for not having taken a 0astronger role in overseeing the Bush administration's war policies.

    Many in Congress have praised the group's report, which was eight months 0ain the making.

    Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said the key question now is whether 0aBush will effectively implement a new policy.

    "We need the White House to become the `Iraq Results Group,' " she said.

    Baker said Congress could play a key role in that regard.

    "If the Congress would come together behind supporting - let's say 0autopianly - all of the recommendations of this report, that would do a lot 0atoward moving things downtown," Baker told the committee.

    As the pair appeared on Capitol Hill, Bush met at the White House with 0aBritish Prime Minister Tony Blair, a key Bush ally in Iraq. Speaking to 0areporters, Bush referred to this as a "difficult moment for America and 0aGreat Britain."

    Bush has called Iraq the central front in the war on terrorism. Asked by 0aSen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., whether he agreed, Baker replied, "It may not 0ahave been when we first went in but it certainly is now."

    Hamilton added, "I would strike the word 'the' and use the word 'a'. To 0amake it 'the' central front overstates it."

    Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, both said 0athey are skeptical about another of the commission's key recommendations: 0athat the administration approach Iran in search of help in stabilizing 0aIraq, as part of a regional diplomatic initiative.

    "I'm skeptical that it's realistic to think that Iran wants to help the 0aUnited States succeed in Iraq," Lieberman said.

    Baker acknowledged that the Iranians were unlikely to help, even if asked. 0aHe said that during the course of the commission's discussions an Iranian 0aofficial told him that Iran was not inclined to help.

    But Baker said he saw no harm in approaching Iran anyway, and if it 0adeclines to help, "then we will hold them up to public scrutiny as the 0arejectionist state they have proven to be."

    Hamilton said that while Iran has been unhelpful to U.S. interests in Iraq 0athus far, "We do not think it's in the Iranian interest for the American 0apolicy to fail completely, and to lead to chaos in that country." He said 0athe Iranian's main worry is that a chaotic Iraq would lead to a refugee 0acrisis on its border.

    McCain also questioned the wisdom of the group's recommendation that many 0amore U.S. troops be placed inside Iraqi combat units to advise and train 0athem on the battlefield. He said this was too dangerous.

    Hamilton acknowledged that it was risky but said there would be combat 0aforces available to protect the trainers and adviser. He added that it was 0athe group's consensus view that this approach was necessary in order to 0aphase out the U.S. combat role and accelerate the building of competent 0aIraqi security forces.

    "But there is no blinking the fact that that's a risky mission and a 0adifficult mission and we should not slide over it as you have not in your 0acomments," Hamilton said.

    The study panel's 96-page report said flatly that the administration's 0aapproach was not working and recommended that the U.S. military accelerate 0aa change in its main mission so that most combat troops can be withdrawn 0aby spring 2008.