White House advisors looking for a "way out" of war with Iraq

Capitol Hill Blue ^ | Feb 20, 2003, 05:47 | By CHB Staff

[Hoppean]

Some strategists within the Bush Administration are urging the President to look for an "exit strategy" on Iraq, warning the tough stance on war with the Arab country has left the country in a "no win" situation.

"At this point, the United States and Britain does not have the support for passage of a second UN resolution," admits a White House aide.

In addition, Republican leaders in both the House and Senate are telling the Presidently privately that he is losing support in Congress for a "go it alone war" against Iraq.

"The President's war plans are in trouble, there's no doubt about that," says an advisor to House Speaker Dennis J. Hastert. "Some Republican members want a vote on military action and some of those say they would, at this point, vote against such action."

Some White House advisors are urging the President to consider complying with the UN position or to look for other "face saving" ways to avoid war with Iraq.

President Bush, however, is reported to be "hanging tough" on plans to invade Iraq, even though his closest advisors tell him such a move could be "disasterous" politically.

"The President has backed himself and the nation into a corner in a no win situation," says political scientist George Harleigh. "World opinion is against him. Public opinion polls show support eroding among Americans."

Republican campaign strategist Vern Wilson says he is advising his clients to "put some distance between themselves and the President" on war with Iraq.

"When you have former military leaders questioning the wisdom of war, then you have Vietnam and Gulf War veterans marching against the war, when you have Republicans in Congress questioning the President's judgment, it tells me we could have a problem," Wilson said Wednesday.

The escalating loss of support for the U.S. officials has led to an increase of defiance by Iraqi officials, who have yet to live up to promises of increased support and aid to U.N. inspectors looking for the country's suspected weapons of mass destruction.

Taking heart from the split in the Security Council regarding possible military action against the country. and the world-wide protests against war, Iraq has changed from saying that its officials are complying with U.N. demands to asking for a lifting of sanctions instituted against Iraq after it was forced out of Kuwait more than 10 years ago.

"We have not seen any positive moves on the part of Iraq," one U.N. official in Iraq told The Washington Post, while another said, "They are not fulfilling their promises."

U.N. inspectors returned to Iraq in November after the Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 1441, a strongly worded document that promised "serious consequences" should Iraq not live up to the stipulations outlined in the document. Those included giving U.N. inspectors unrestricted access inside Iraq and orders to report any interference by Iraq with the inspections.

However, since last Friday, when lead weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohammad ElBaradei reported to the Security Council, the United Nations has not seen Iraq carry through on promises to deliver documents about old weapons programs nor have there been interviews with scientists involved with possible weapons technology.

Large anti-war demonstrations were staged in several cities around the world. The United States and Britain are having trouble finding support for anything stronger than additional inspections in Iraq in their Security Council deliberations.

© Copyright 2003 Capitol Hill Blue

[The Wizard]

this is just what you think it is...confusion

[Clara Lou]

Some strategists within the Bush Administration are urging the President to look for an "exit strategy" on Iraq, warning the tough stance on war with the Arab country
Iraq isn't Arab.

[fortcollins]

This is unadulterated bulls**t

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Any exit strategery only runs through Baghdad!!

[ladyinred]

Oh my God! This is disgusting.

[The Wizard]

this is designed to "help" the enemy, like the protestors did......

[boomop1]

Everyone here knows letting the obstructers back in was a mistake. But we are not going to get out of finishing the job, not going to happen the die is cast.

[wireman]

When did you go to Iraq and learn this?

[I_saw_the_light]

The right thing is not always the popular thing. He didnt come this far to quit. No Way.

[Radix]

That would be my exit stategery!

[inquest]

Like it or not, Saddam has enough genuine popular support that he can now hand out full-auto AKs and ammo to any civilian wanting one.

This is the first I've heard of this. I hope you're not referring to the "demonstrations" you see on the nightly news. I don't give them any more credence than similar spectacles in Cuba.

[ServesURight]

More horse feces from Capital Hill Blue.

[stands2reason]

Thank you. Remember the word "Persian", guys? Not just kitties and rugs....

[BabaOreally]

Who are these people? Where are they coming from?

It is a certain disaster if April comes and goes, and nothing has gone down.

[alancarp]

I should hope that this is disinformation: the "entry strategy" is clear -- (1) we're still technically at war since Iraq failed to adhere to cease-fire/surrender terms from 1992. (2) They've failed to live up to a dozen other resolutions; (3) 1441 authorizes action; (4) the US Congress authorized action; and of course, (5) Hussein is a dangerous blight on the world that must be removed.

[inquest]

They're not Persian. Iranians are Persian (they speak Farsi), Iraqis are Arabic (they speak the same). Iraq received the generous backing of the rest of the Arab world during its war with Iran, precisely because they were viewed as a defender of the Arabs against the Persians.

[SwinneySwitch]

Should be "Capitol Hill Bull She-it"!!!

[Batrachian]

Iraq is Arab (except for the Iraqi Kurds). It's Iran that isn't Arab.

[PetroniDE]

If Bush doesn't go to war, short of some internal coup in Baghdad, Bush will be toast in '04. According to this article (if you believe it), Bush is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. In that case, might as well do it.

I think this article is hogwash.

[Dont Mention the War]

Oh my God! This is disgusting.

It's crap. Just another last-gasp attempt by the RINOs and various special interests to try to embarrass Bush into giving up. Ignore it.

[pgkdan]

Iraq isn't Arab.

It certainly is. What would you call it?

[Clara Lou]

I didn't realize that Capitol Hill Blue put out inaccurate, slanted material. This is junk.

[The Wizard]

thank God someone here gets it.....

[pgkdan]

Thank you. Remember the word "Persian", guys? Not just kitties and rugs....

The Iranians are Persian, Iraq is an Arab country.

[PhiKapMom]

This is unadulterated bulls**t

Want to second this. Also this is why I don't subscribe to CHB at all! Mostly trash comes out of what I used to consider a good website!

[kaylar]

If GWB did back down, then whatever face would be saved would be irrelevant,compared to the complete loss of national sovereignty. To cave would lead inevitably to a demand that the US submit to other "international" dictats: Ratify Kyoto, ratify the ICC, allow the OECD to determine US economic policies, etc. This is completely unacceptable.

[debg]

"go it alone war" against Iraq...

even CNN made the point that it isn't a go it alone war when iraq's spokesman was speaking live today. they had insets next to his live speech. the first list was 20 countries (mostly european) supporting the US, the second was the 5 against (france, germany, china, russia, belgium.)

[anguish]

Iraq isn't Arab

It sure is. Iran isn't though (Persian).

[CJinVA]

Republican campaign strategist Vern Wilson says he is advising his clients………..

Who is this guy? A google search of “Vern Wilson republican” only turn up this article.

[jern]

Actually it isn't. Unfortunately a lot of "normal" people and republicans are against the war. From the political stand point, I think it is a disaster for W. if we go to war against Iraq.

[dark_lord]

IMO, if at this point Bush backs off and we don't invade Iraq -- he is a one term president. Period. He will lose so much support on the right that he would lose in 2004.

[Godfollow]

Leave it to the doves to muck everything up. Evil wins out while useful idiots cry, "peace, peace". I only hope Bagdad try's to lob something toward Israel... Isreal seems to be the only civilization on this planet with any backbone.

[Neets]

Pure, unadulterated BULL SHIT....

This is the President who knows sometimes you have to chose the harder right over the easier wrong....

He is sticking to his guns....the only way out is for Sadaam to do what he should do.

PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION

[Fitzcarraldo]

Bush should have subjected Iraq to non-stop punishment
starting Sept 12th, 2001.

[ez]

All considerations of public support at this point amount to navel-gazing. Once the war starts, it's a whole new ballgame.

[smith288]

I somehow dont see this as some international popularity contest wish Bush.
This report is pure

[Clara Lou]

The people of Iraq are Persian, many of whom are Islamic. They are not Arab. Persians and Arabs are seperate ethnic groups. Look it up if you don't believe me.

[Hugin]

Utter BS. There may be a few advisors with their panties in a bunch, but the American people are behind Bush. The latest Fox News poll shows 69% of the public supports war to remove Saddam. In any case Bush will do what is right, not what some wimpy aides to a few spinless Congresscritters want.

[b4its2late]

Exit Strategy = The Big One........

[livius]

From the political stand point, I think it is a disaster for W. if we go to war against Iraq.

Nonsense. Plus it will be a disaster for the world if we don't.

[goodnesswins]

OKAY...who is the IDIOT who said "go it alone?" ONE more TIME....

WHO has joined the ALLIES FOR LIBERTY & FREEDOM?

THESE ARE the 29 ALLIES for IRAQI people’s (women & children included) FREEDOM

U.S., Britian, Australia, Spain, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Italy, Portugal, Armenia, Lithuania

Slovakia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Quatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Albania, Kuwait, Israel, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Macedonia, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Georgia Republic, Marshall Islands and Japan

FREE the IRAQI people!!!

	What OTHER countries want the IRAQI citizens FREEDOM?
		ARMENIA
	AZERBAIJAN	GEORGIA Republic
MARSHALL ISLANDS
goodnesswins, with technical assistance from abner

[GWfan]

The title is deceiving because the term "exit strategy" does not equal a "way out of war". It (exit strategy) merely means the plan for when and where troops are removed following the war, where the author uses the title to imply that it means not going to war at all.

This article is garbage.

[b4its2late]

A Neutron Bomb that is....

[UncleSamUSA]

I'm taking this as an April Fools-type joke, right?

Otherwise this sounds like a planted story from the Germans and the French. Totally asinine.

[woofie]

I would not sell Mr Hussein a life insurance policy

[ez]

Like it or not, Saddam has enough genuine popular support that he can now hand out full-auto AKs and ammo to any civilian wanting one.

You appear to be accepting the spin...that there is a groundswell of anti-war fever. Nothing could be further from the truth. while several million did protest, 6.4 Billion did not, meaning the anti-war effort comprises less than one percent of the people.

In fact, if anything, world opinion is moving in the US's favor the last week.

[goodnesswins]

EVERYONE is AGAINST WAR!!!!.....but sometimes in order to stop madmen and tyrants we are FORCED TO WAR!!

[Scott from the Left Coast]

This kind of spin-meistering is simply the logical, natural outflow from the ultra-go-slow approach that the administration has taken on the Iraq affair. (Yeah, the logistics are tough, but the administration could have figured out that they needed to get Turkey solidly with them 4 or 5 months ago before the logistics bind became such a big issue -- the slowness here is either deliberate or incompetent, I suspect the former).

The take of this story is hogwash, through and through, but you get this stuff when you give your opposition all the time in the world to come after you.

The Administration has obviously decided to just take their lumps with this stuff and try to just have a big, dramatic turn around at the end. We're slipping, slipping, slipping, slipping, WHAM! We've won. Guess they're going for the lull everyone to sleep then win suddenly and "surprisingly" approach.

It's a bit weird, but it could work out (getting terribly close to the elections though, with the economy staying in the tank the longer this thing draws out).