Impressive article. A lot of detail on how Baker stacked the deck to get what he wanted.
Fortunately, it backfired. You have to wonder how smart Baker really is. If I didn't know better, I would say that the whole exercise was a piece of Bush's strategery, because the upshot of the report, and the press's early enthusiasm for it, is to suggest to the country that the experts haven't the faintest idea how to improve on what Bush is already doing in Iraq. As a result, the Iraqi war has gained a further lease on life.
The deck stacking said to be the reason Guiliani backed out.
That's exactly the conclusion I was coming to when I read the report.
I always have thought you were pretty smart and very insightful. ;-)
Bush was playing Texas Hold-em and called Baker's bluff...