Iraq study group report: Diverging views

Iraq study group report: Key points

1. Bush's Iraq policy was a disaster

2. There is not military solution to Iraq

3. All factions of Iraq should be involved in the peace process

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4. US forces should now aim to support establish Iraqi army and withdraw by 2008

5. Iran and Syria should be involved in the peace process for future solidarity amongst nations in the region

The 79 points introduced by the latest Iraq study group report aims to consolidate Iraq's position comprehensively. British Prime Minister Tony Blair and George Bush admitted that the current Iraq and the Middle East policies call for a complete overhaul. However, Bush is reluctant to go ahead with unconditional talks with Iran and Syria. Even a few Senators are skeptical as far as withdrawal of troops by 2008 is concerned.

Check the full report here in pdf format.

All at odds

Where the authors of the report demand complete approval of all points if the engineers of the situation really want peace, the divided reaction further shadows positive prospects. Bush must not forget that he's leading a defeated and over-stressed army and one thing is sure, without involving key middle-east countries and giving reigns in the hands of Iraqis, peace cannot be established in the region or the report and efforts are of no use.

Not only Bush is unenthusiastic about the outcome of the, widely anticipated, central ideas suggested by the bipartisan commission, key Middle-East players too have rejected it on different fronts, especially, Israel, Syria and more importantly Kurdish leader of Iraq. Kurd leader, President Massoud Barzani called the report 'unrealistic' as it does not consider special status of 'Kurdistan'. Most of the Middle-East countries perceive that the report is just a formula to get US out of the difficult situation rather than solve key problems.

It's true, as suggested by the report, that all problems of the Middle-East, including the Arab-Israeli conflict, are interconnected and need to be handled separately while keeping the focus on the overall regional disputes. And, that demands leaders to come to the round table as soon as possible, for which they're not in a frame of mind to move ahead.

Does this report hold any importance?

Bush has rejected it, Senators are against it, Pentagon has not yet completed it's review over the overall position in Iraq, and most importantly, people whose future depends on it, are not at all involved in the whole process. So, was it just an exercise to show the world adamantly that yes, we triggered the bomb, we're counting the shattered and scattered lumps of flesh and let us continue with this with a few blissful breaks sprinkled with more blood in our own fashion and just keep your mouth shut. Or, was it a positive move and we can expect things on the track very soon? What do you say? However, I smell more blood.

Via: BBC