Blair to give Iraq evidence to Baker

The Financial Times ^ | November 11, 2006 | James Blitz

[MadIvan]

Tony Blair will next week give evidence to the Iraq Study Group led by James Baker, the former US secretary of state, in the first indication Britain is being consulted by Washington over potential change of policy on the war.

As he continues the task of presenting a range of new policy alternatives on Iraq for President George W. Bush, Mr Baker is expected to interview the UK prime minister by means of a video link on Tuesday.

The decision by the Iraq Study Group to interview Mr Blair is an important boost for Downing Street, amid fears that Britain might be excluded from the US reassessment of Iraq policy following the Democrats’ victory in the congressional elections.

Downing Street last night gave no details of what Mr Blair would tell Mr Baker and his co-chairman, retired US congressman Lee Hamilton. However, the prime minister is expected to set out his latest thoughts on Iraq on Monday in his annual Mansion House foreign policy speech.

Mr Blair is certain to tell Mr Baker that the US and UK must not “cut and run”, remaining in Iraq until Baghdad can manage the security situation on its own. Mr Blair has told allies he is confident that the Baker-Hamilton committee will make no such recommendation.

Margaret Beckett, UK foreign secretary, spelt out the UK’s position this week saying there would be no “precipitate” moves to withdraw UK troops. However, the prime minister is likely to be probed on the extent to which he believes Syria and Iran can be involved in attempts to put Iraq on a stable footing.

Mr Blair has recently launched a diplomatic initiative towards Syria, sending his most senior foreign policy adviser to Damascus to meet President Bashar al-Assad.

Mr Blair is looking to see whether Syria can be coaxed into playing a constructive role in attempts to revive the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

In recent weeks, Mr Blair has expressed no enthusiasm for engaging Syria and Iran in plans to put the Iraqi government on a firmer footing. He believes that the Iranian regime must be firmly faced down in its bid to acquire nuclear weapons.

However, recent leaks of the Baker-Hamilton committee’s findings suggest that the ISG is looking at whether the Syrian and Iranian regimes can be involved in attempts to stabilise the situation in Iraq.

[Kakaze]

In recent weeks, Mr Blair has expressed no enthusiasm for engaging Syria and Iran in plans to put the Iraqi government on a firmer footing. He believes that the Iranian regime must be firmly faced down in its bid to acquire nuclear weapons

This statement is a prescription for failure. It's not possible to face iran down without the threat of engagement, hell without the threat of annihilation.

It's all they understand.

[SJackson]

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[SMM48]

It was very thoughtful of GWB to give a couple of aging politicians something to do to exercise their senile minds. Baker is 76, Hamilton is 75. I have nothing against old age as I am on my way there too. But geez, is there not anyone else in this country that can bring a more energentic look into Iraq? The real solution is to allow the military to do their job.