However, there’s no doubting that we are going to stay for a while (since no important Democrat or Republican has yet suggested otherwise). So, the reality check on our earlier vision provided by the Commission is an important step. And, I guess that having Iran/Syria at the table, if we are willing to make real compromises with their interests, could contribute to progress. However, considering our existing qualms with those countries, that’s a BIG IF.

Lastly, I agree that it’s good to see the Commission trying to relay the importance of the conflict to the bigger picture situation in the region. Iraq is not “in a box”.

I did notice that the report said that goals in the broader Middle East cannot be achieved until there is a lasting Arab-Israeli peace agreement, which meant for the current admin to adhere to its own “roadmap”, to work for a Palestinian state, for the Palestinians to be granted their right of return, for Israel to return the Golan to Syria as a dangled carrot for bringing Syria to the table for discussion.

I must go to class, but this report reminds me why I liked George HW Bush so much more than his son ; he surrounded himself with people like James Baker, and not people like Karl Rove.

Agreed on Iran and Syria, but disagreed on pulling out immediately. Whatever “vision” might have existed would be all but given up to the “vision” of Iran and Syria.

I don’t necessarily consider that acceptable, BS Neocon or not.

What the report DOES (and what little it does) is shift the rhetoric from, “We’re here as long as you need us until you step up,” to “We’re no longer going to be here if you don’t step up.”

I think that’s a positive shift, although agreed, not nearly enough. An immediate withdrawal would be absolute lunacy, because THEN it would be Vietnam all over again. I’m all about looking out for US interests first (and that’s what this panel is about), but I don’t think our interests would be met in the Middle East by bailing and letting Iran and Syria have their way.

Truth be told, we won the pre-war sell and then lost the grandiose (BS Neocon) vision. We won in that we achieved our goal as stated before the war, which related to preventing Saddam Hussein from possessing WMD’s. We lost in our efforts to achieve that vision which we were later offered, the vision of building a “free and peaceful” Iraq. Those two facts won’t be changed by continued American presence in the country. It’s time to pull the plug on the “We’ll stand down when they stand up” gig. Instead, we should respond with an immediate withdrawal of our troops. Not a “phased withdrawals” or other feet-shuffling. To me, “by early 2008”, as the Commission recommended, is not sooner, but most certainly later. Pack it all up and call it a day.