WP: Bush Initiates Iraq Policy Review Separate From Baker Group's

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush Initiates Iraq Policy Review Separate From Baker Group's
By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 15, 2006; Page A16

President Bush formally launched a sweeping internal review of Iraq policy yesterday, pulling together studies underway by various government agencies, according to U.S. officials.

The initiative, begun after Bush met at the White House with his foreign policy team, parallels the effort by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group to salvage U.S. policy in Iraq, develop an exit strategy and protect long-term U.S. interests in the region. The two reviews are not competitive, administration officials said, although the White House wants to complete the process before mid-December, about the time the Iraq Study Group's final report is expected.

The White House's decision changes the dynamics of what happens next to U.S. policy deliberations. The administration will have its own working document as well as recommendations from an independent bipartisan commission to consider as it struggles to prevent further deterioration in Iraq.

"The president has asked all his national security agencies to assess the situation in Iraq, review the options and recommend the best way forward. The ISG report will be duly considered, and we look forward to their recommendations, as the president has always said," a White House official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the new initiative has not been announced. "The president indicated Monday that he is interested in hearing interesting ideas both within his administration and from the Baker-Hamilton commission."

The White House review could give the administration alternatives so that it feels less pressure to fully implement the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group report, foreign policy experts said....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111401095.html

[Pirate Smile]

1. Well, sh#$!

That sucks.

Excuse me if that doesn't fill me with optimism. :(

[Erika]

2. W rebelling against Daddy?

Or simply trying to save face? A farce either way.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. I want a study group -- WAAAAAAH! nt

[Beetwasher]

10. Yup, Exactly

n/t

[ninkasi]

6. I would feel more optimistic

If the whole Iraq invasion were not a psycho-drama played between the senior and junior Bushes. If they have family issues, they need to get professional help, and heaven knows they've ripped the American taxpayer out of the money needed for this help, People are dying and being maimed every day in Iraq, and this was brought about courtesy of Bush the lesser, and his overwhelming desire to do better than Poppy. We shouldn't be shedding blood over this.

[PSPS]

4. Translation: Bush working on alternate plan that will benefit him politically.

The Baker plan, which is assumed to be DOA anyway, would never pass the Rove test for political spin.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

5. Isn't he something?

Still flouncing around trying to beat Poppy at Poppy's game.

Pore Jr. burned out a few too many brain cells . . .

[TankLV]

29. Or that he would operate in a "bipartisan" manner...

Same old shit, AND same stinking asshole...

[flordehinojos]

7. little ass is finally showing his ass again! the other shoe finally dropped!

his "well-behaved, i love bi-partisanship" act has disappeared. little ass was sent to the corner by daddy-o and like the unruly, antisocial personality that he is, he has decided to get up and walk away from the corner and from the "time-out" imposed on him by daddy-o.

three cheers for little ass for showing his ass again!

[Roland99]

8. I think Colbert summed it up well on The Word

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/11/14/colberts-got-some-tough-w%c3%b8rds-for-bush-41/

[acmavm]

9. So they're going 'mano a mano'. Junior must be sick of

all the magazine covers with him holding Daddy's hand.

Wonder of KKKarl or Dick came up with this one. Neither one comes out well with Poopy running the show.

Jeez, just what we need right now.

I wonder what Freud would make of this bunch?

[Rose Siding]

11. I had little hope that the ISG would deliver a plan for withdrawal, but now

ANY good idea they have will be countermanded by phrases like "expert opinions vary"

[tabasco]

12. Delaying tactics.

They want to stay in Iraq as long as possible to control the oil. Right now it is easier for them to delay. I'm sure both of these fraud "study groups" will recommend indefinite occupation. They want war forever because they are raking in billions!

[ECH1969]

13. Bush Initiates Iraq Policy Review Separate From Baker Group's

President Bush formally launched a sweeping internal review of Iraq policy yesterday, pulling together studies underway by various government agencies, according to U.S. officials.

The initiative, begun after Bush met at the White House with his foreign policy team, parallels the effort by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group to salvage U.S. policy in Iraq, develop an exit strategy and protect long-term U.S. interests in the region.

The White House's decision changes the dynamics of what happens next to U.S. policy deliberations. The administration will have its own working document as well as recommendations from an independent bipartisan commission to consider as it struggles to prevent further deterioration in Iraq.

"The president has asked all his national security agencies to assess the situation in Iraq, review the options and recommend the best way forward. The ISG report will be duly considered, and we look forward to their recommendations, as the president has always said," a White House official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the new initiative has not been announced.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111401095.html

[Nickster]

14. So it doesn't look like Poppy is dictating foreign policy to Dubya.

"see it wasn't all Uncle James' idea, see it was alot hard work on my part. It's just a coincidence that my independent report looks a lot like Uncle James' report, coincidence I tell ya!"

[zreosumgame]

19. too bad there's no teacher to slap dumbaya

when he is caught sneaking peeks at James's test...

[54anickel]

26. That was my first reaction to it....

It's just a coincidence that my independent report looks a lot like Uncle James' report, coincidence I tell ya!"

I think Bush is trying to save face. Guess we'll have to wait and see how it all pans out. It's either a rebellion and a final grab by PNAC or it's "all about W" - again.

[SutaUvaca]

15. Good grief!

Chimps' own "national security agencies" (sixteen of them) already did this and reported already this year. Basically "Yer breedin' tarrarists like flies in that screwn up war" and he just blew it off.

Sounds like junior is trying to push back against senior, not to mention just not giving a shit about what the American people just told him.

[gratuitous]

17. This does indeed look like "Wrong answer, try again"

A lot of people are telling Bush stuff he doesn't want to hear, and flexibility and compromise have never been his long suits. Now that the initial shock has worn off, he's reverting to form and that form is pissy and obstinate.

Which makes this an extraordinarily bad time to be in the military.

[sallyseven]

16. He is so embarrassed by daddy poo that

he is flipping his wig. Where has all this info been. Too many studies and not enough action. Baker is only interested in saving the bush family and the Carlyle Group. Step down mr. bush.

[Mist]

18. First, I find it bizarre that after THREE YEARS in Iraqnam, only now

does anyone think of "studying" the situation. Secondly, yeah, * needs his very own study group, 'cuz the other one is tainted with bipartisanship. What a pissant.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

20. Wait,

So now we have TWO Iraq policy groups? I smell Cheney.

[displacedtexan]

21. And I smell Hughes' size 13s, too.

If something in the BushCo White House stinks, can Karen be far upwind?

[Crunchy Frog]

22. In the words of Stephen Colbert,

"Back off old man!"

[jokerman93]

23. Does this mean...

"...parallels the effort by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group to salvage U.S. policy in Iraq, develop an exit strategy and protect long-term U.S. interests in the region."

Does this mean they're actually still trying to steal the oil?
:rofl:

[BurtWorm]

25. Why hasn't he done this before?

Because he's too damn STUPID!

[grasswire]

24. stovepiping again

selective "intelligence" again

Or is it a stealth government?

On edit: how much is this parallel study costing us?

[NastyRiffraff]

27. Yeah, another finger to daddy..

"...The ISG report will be duly considered, and we look forward to their recommendations, as the president has always said,"

You know what they mean by "duly considered." The Baker report goes to File 13.

BTW, how'd you like to be the WH staffer in the room when Junior saw the Newsweek cover? A sure way to get the Boy King wannabe to blow his top is to compare him unfavorably with daddy. Baker's commission doesn't have a prayer, because in Junior's mind, it's daddy's commission, and we can't have that.

[rodeodance]

28. well, goolly gee. the little man will have his own report WHOw