Iraq Study Group

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cover of the report

The Iraq Study Group (ISG), also known as the Baker-Hamilton Commission,^[1] or  simply the Baker Commission,^[2] was a ten-person bipartisan panel appointed on March 15, 2006, by the United States Congress, that was charged with assessing the situation in Iraq and  the US-led Iraq War and  making policy recommendations. it  was first proposed by Virginia Republican Representative Frank Wolf.^[3]

The Iraq Study Group was facilitated by the United States Institute of Peace, who released the Iraq Study Group's final report on their Website on December 6, 2006.

[edit] Members

 and  James Baker (right) presented the Iraq Study Group Report to George W. Bush on December 6, 2006."> and  James Baker (right) presented the Iraq Study Group Report to George W. Bush on December 6, 2006." width="300" height="189" longdesc="../../../2/0/0/Image%7E20061206_d-0257-2-515h.jpg.html" />

Lee Hamilton (left) and  James Baker (right) presented the Iraq Study Group Report to George W. Bush on December 6, 2006.

The ISG was led by co-chairs James Baker, a former Secretary of State (and a Republican) and  Lee Hamilton a former U.S. Representative (and a Democrat).

[edit] Republicans

In addition to Baker, the panel's Republican members were:

• Sandra Day O'Connor, former Supreme Court Justice
• Lawrence Eagleburger, former Secretary of State
• Edwin Meese III, former US Attorney General
• Alan K. Simpson, former U.S. Senator from Wyoming

[edit] Democrats

In addition to Hamilton, the panel's Democratic members were:

• Vernon Jordan, Jr., business executive
• Leon E. Panetta, former White House Chief of Staff
• William J. Perry, former US Secretary of Defense
• Charles S. Robb, former Governor and  U.S. Senator from Virginia

[ and  support">edit] Funding and  support

The panel's work was facilitated by the U.S. Institute of Peace and  supported by the  and  International Studies">Center for Strategic and  International Studies (CSIS), the Center for the Study of the Presidency (CSP), and  the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. it  was expected to receive a US$1.3 million appropriation from Congress.^[3]

[edit] Activities

[edit] Domestic

The ISG met members of the U.S. national security team, along with President Bush, on November 13.^[4] Before this announcement it  was reported that Baker was in regular contact with the White House, especially with National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and  President Bush.^[5]

[edit] International

On 11 November 2006, it  was announced that UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has supported President Bush in the Iraq war, was to give evidence to the ISG. A Downing Street spokesman said that Blair would give his submissions via video link on 14 November. it  was believed at the time that the UK Prime Minister would outline his ideas on Iraq in a major foreign policy speech on Monday, 13 November.^{[6] [7]}

[edit] Internal arguments

 and  former Indiana Congressman Lee H. Hamilton testify before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. Baker and  Hamilton faced tough questions from panel members and  harsh criticism from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) regarding their military advice, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and  Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) regarding the group's recommendations for starting dialogue with Iran."> and  former Indiana Congressman Lee H. Hamilton testify before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. Baker and  Hamilton faced tough questions from panel members and  harsh criticism from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) regarding their military advice, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and  Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) regarding the group's recommendations for starting dialogue with Iran." width="300" height="265" longdesc="../../../b/a/k/Image%7EBAKERHAMILTONSENATE.jpg_e4d9.html" />

Former Secretary of State James Baker and  former Indiana Congressman Lee H. Hamilton testify before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. Baker and  Hamilton faced tough questions from panel members and  harsh criticism from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) regarding their military advice, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and  Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) regarding the group's recommendations for starting dialogue with Iran.

According to a report in late November in Newsday, internal strife, the assassination of a cabinet minister in Lebanon, and  opposition from President Bush to the group recommending negotiations with Iran and  Syria was challenging the commission's intent to issue a consensus report. an  Iraq expert told the newspaper that there "has been a lot of fighting" among the expert advisers to the group, mainly between conservatives and  liberals who want to take a more  pragmatic approach to the Middle East. ^[8]

[edit] Recommendations

Main article: Iraq Study Group Report

Although the final report was not released until December 6, media reports ahead of that date described some possible recommendations by the panel. Among them were the beginning of a phased withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq and  direct US dialogue with Syria and  Iran over Iraq and  the Middle East. The Iraq Study Group also found that the Pentagon has underreported significantly the extent of the violence in Iraq and  that officials have  obtained little information regarding the source of these attacks. The group further described the situation in Afghanistan as so disasterous that they may need to divert troops from Iraq in order to help stabilize the country. After these reports began surfacing, co-chair James Baker warned that the group should not be expected to produce a "magic bullet" to resolve the Iraqi conflict.^[9]

According to a report in late November, the Iraq Study Group had "strongly urged" a large pull back of American troops in Iraq. The final report was released December 6, 2006, included 79 recommendations, and  was 160 pages in length.^[10]

[edit] Views about the report

At a news conference with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Washington on 6 December 2006, President George W. Bush commented on the Iraq Study Group's report and  admitted for the first time that a "new approach" is  needed in Iraq, that the situation in Iraq is  "bad" and  that the task ahead was "daunting". ^[11] President Bush said he would not accept every recommendation by the ISG panel but promised that he would take the report seriously. President Bush is  expected to wait for three other studies from the Pentagon, the US State Department and  the National Security Council before charting the new course on Iraq. ^[12] On US foreign policy, President Bush warned that he would only talk to Iran if it  suspended uranium enrichment and  bring Syria on board if it  stops funding the insurgency in Lebanon, extends support to the Lebanese government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and  provides economic help to Iraq. ^[13]

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani called the group's conclusions "very dangerous" to Iraq's sovereignty and  constitution, according to CNN. "As a whole, I reject this report," Talabani said.^[14]

[edit] Notes

• The Iraq Study Group Report full text (PDF)

[edit] External links

Wikinews has news related to:

Bush reacts to the Iraq Study Report

• Iraq Study Group Web site
• Iraq Study Group Report - downloadable PDF available
• Center for Strategic and  International Studies - Iraq Study Group at CSIS, including a slightly different version of the report.
• Vivisimo's clustered search of the report, by paragraphs
• List of people interviewed by the ISG.
• Notes on Iraq Study Group
• How Iraq panel went from obscure to high profile from The Christian Science Monitor

Members of the Iraq Study Group
Baker (Co-chair) • Hamilton (Co-chair) Eagleburger • Jordan • Meese • O'Connor • Panetta • Perry • Robb • Simpson Former members: Gates • Giuliani