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Panel 'to urge Iraq policy shift' Panel 'to urge Iraq policy shift'
(about 2 hours later)
A panel of White House advisers is said to be ready to call for a major shift in Washington's policy on Iraq, the Los Angeles Times has reported. High-level White House advisers are said to be ready to call for a major change in Washington's policy on Iraq.
Members of the panel, which is led by former US Secretary of State James Baker, told the newspaper that this could include large troop withdrawals. Members of the panel, which is led by former US Secretary of State James Baker, told the LA Times the shift could include large troop withdrawals.
The White House has not commented on the newspaper report. A senior US official reaffirmed Washington's support for Iraq's leaders but said they must increasingly assume responsibility for security.
Violence in Iraq and rising American casualties are emerging as key issues for November's US mid-term elections. The Iraq situation is a key issue in November's US mid-term elections.
"There's got to be another way," is how one member of the Iraq panel summed up their views on the situation in Iraq and the failure of current US policy, according to the LA Times."There's got to be another way," is how one member of the Iraq panel summed up their views on the situation in Iraq and the failure of current US policy, according to the LA Times.
Invitation to help
Mr Baker's commission, which is due to report in the next few months, is set to recommend significant change, and will advise against "staying the course".Mr Baker's commission, which is due to report in the next few months, is set to recommend significant change, and will advise against "staying the course".
October has seen an upsurge in violence across Iraq There needs to be over time steady assumption of increasing responsibility by the Iraqis for their own future - I don't think anybody disagrees with that Robert Kimmitt US Deputy Treasury Secretary
The bipartisan task force, which was asked by the US Congress to examine the effectiveness of American policy in Iraq, has reportedly been looking at two options, both of which would amount to a reversal of the Bush administration's stance.The bipartisan task force, which was asked by the US Congress to examine the effectiveness of American policy in Iraq, has reportedly been looking at two options, both of which would amount to a reversal of the Bush administration's stance.
One is the phased withdrawal of US troops - the other is to invite Syria and Iran to come into Iraq to help stop the fighting. One is the phased withdrawal of US troops, the other is to invite Syria and Iran to come into Iraq to help stop the fighting.
Mr Baker, who was Secretary of State under President George HW Bush, the current president's father, has so far stressed that the panel has not come to a definitive conclusion. Mr Baker, who was secretary of state under President George Bush, the current president's father, has so far stressed that the panel has not come to a definitive conclusion.
But he has indicated the direction of the panel's thinking in recent television interviews.But he has indicated the direction of the panel's thinking in recent television interviews.
"Our commission believes that there are alternatives between the stated alternatives, the ones that are out there in the political debate of 'stay the course' and 'cut and run'", he told ABC News recently. "Our commission believes that there are alternatives between the stated alternatives, the ones that are out there in the political debate of 'stay the course' and 'cut and run,'" he told ABC News recently.
He has also said there would probably be some things in the report that the administration might not like.
'No deadline''No deadline'
On Monday, President Bush called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to reaffirm his full support for the Iraqi government. On Monday, President George W Bush called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to reaffirm his full support for the Iraqi government.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said that Mr Bush urged Mr Maliki to ignore rumours that Washington has set a deadline for the Iraqi government to control the activities of insurgents. October has seen another surge in violence
But as the key 7 November mid-term elections near, opinion polls have indicated growing public discontent with the Iraq war, a discontent that could have a significant impact on the election outcomes. White House spokesman Tony Snow said Mr Bush had urged Mr Maliki to ignore rumours that Washington had set a deadline for the Iraqi government to control the activities of insurgents.
BBC News website's world affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds says the panel's findings could be the peg on which a shift of approach is hung. Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt has also stressed that the US government strongly supports Mr Maliki's strategy.
LA Times reporter Doyle McManus, who was spoke to panel members, said the view emerging is that Mr Bush's strategy of keeping a large US military presence in Iraq until the violence stops is difficult to maintain. "Mr Maliki said first...there has to be improvement in the security situation, violence is absolutely unacceptable. Secondly, there has to be political reconciliation, and third there must be economic development... they're all inter-related," he told the BBC on Tuesday.
As for working with Syria and Iran, that would be a radical move for President Bush, he says, but coming from James Baker, a close friend of the Bush family, it may be acceptable. But he also said it was clear that the Iraqis must increasingly take control of security.
Since 2003, some 2, 761 US military personnel have died in Iraq. " I think... what my former boss, Jim Baker, said is that there needs to be over time steady assumption of increasingly responsibility by the Iraqis for their own future. I don't think anybody disagrees with that," Mr Kimmitt said.
As the key 7 November mid-term elections near, opinion polls have indicated growing public discontent with the Iraq war, a discontent that could have a significant impact on the election outcomes.
BBC News website world affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds says the panel's findings could be the peg on which a shift of approach is hung.
Since the March 2003 invasion, some 2,761 US military personnel have died in Iraq.