[TexKat]

This photo provided by the Defense Department shows President Bush, center, and Vice President Dick Cheney, left, escorted by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to their meeting at the Pentagon Thursday, Jan. 13, 2005. The president and vice president were briefed on the tsunami relief efforts and the global war on terrorism. (AP Photo/Defense Department, U.S. Air Force., Tech. Sgt. James Bowman, )

[xzins]

Phased withdrawal after the elections is an idea that has merit.

Or...use the forces there to occupy Syria and deconstruct its Baathist regime.

That would be the logical next step in the War on Terror. Syria is a long-time supporter of international terrorist organizations and is actively engaged in fighting our troops in Iraq.

[zarf]

Seeking peace in the Middle East improves chances of achieving stability in Iraq,

Same pile of dog crap; different day.

[Polybius]

1946: ..........Former Secretary of State, Robert Lansing, an architect of the U.S. war with Germany in 1917, is advising the Truman administration to consider a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops in Germany.

Otherwise, Lansing says, the United States risks being suspected of having an "imperial design" in the region.

[uncbob]

Otherwise, Baker says, the United States risks being suspected of having an "imperial design" in the region.

Like maybe kicking Syria and Iran's butt or helping them along the road to sanity

[Zack Nguyen]

At the same time, Baker urged the Bush administration to call for a "good-faith effort" by the new Palestinian leadership to crack down on terror groups...

Oh! [wiping tears from eyes] that James Baker's a funny guy.

[SunkenCiv]

I don't suppose it occurred to Baker that withdrawal was planned all along?

What an ego.

[Straight Vermonter]

Does it occur to anyone else that we wouldn't even be there if Baker et al hadn't screwed the pooch in the first Gulf War? Even a token backing for the Kurd/Shia uprising would have carried the day.