So, what will the Iraq Study Group come up with?

The Iraq Study Group should be issuing its report soon, and W has pledged to give it serious attention. Any speculations?

So, what will the Iraq Study Group come up with?
Flash cards? Mnemonic devices of some sort?

There, that’s out of the way. Onto the serious discussion.

Study group members don’t have high hopes:

Not too optimistic, are they?
Still, this AP headline:“Bush Trades Ideas on Iraq With Panel” leads me to hope that the commander in chief might use his chessplayer-like skills to come up with a dazzling way forward for both us, and the Iraqi people.
Tony Snow is still adamant about victory

So the president must have a brilliant plan, right?

Yes. Victory. Which would be definitely brilliant. Brilliant, at the very least.

I don’t know if I’m asking for a pitting but it seems to me that Iran and Syria have vested interests in Iraqi stability, can’t we entce them to help out?

Syria might not.

I’m not sure that Syria will want to lose such a propaganda tool.

Help me Ahmadinajad; you’re my only hope!

I’m guessing not much. That’s based on the presumption that the Bushiviks already have a pretty good idea whats cooking, and they haven’t been laying any groundwork.

For instance, if they knew the report would be solidly “pro-victory” they would be underlining their committment to accept whatever the report says, even if it should go against them, because its comprised of* bi-partisan * wise men who have come to a* bi-partisan* conclusion based on bi-partisan…you know the drill.

But they aren’t. So that ain’t it. Conversely, if they knew it would be one hundred percent Get the Hell Out of BaghDodge, Now! Now! Now!, they would be busily emphasizing that these guys are just spitballing here, throwing around some ideas. And, of course, for national securty reasons they aren’t privy to all the really sensitive intelligence, yadda blah yadda blah…

So I figure the report will throw out a couple of ideas without actually endorsing any of them. Regional conferences sounds nice, means squat. “Phased withdrawal” sounds nice too, so long as it doesn’t have any of those dreadful timelines. “Put more pressure on the Iraqis” sounds good too. A phone call should do it. Maybe a surprise visit from Condi.

Regardless, I expect the Bushiviks to do their very damndest to keep their options open for their preferred policy of hang on grimly and hope that it starts to rain ponies. Because the next six months will be crucial…

Since we know what’s going to happen in the future (victory will be redefined) I think I can confidently parse ol’ Tony’s statement into NewSpeak.

Tony Snow: No, I did not see myself redefining victory. That’s the President’s job. Next question?

-Joe

I love the disconnect - one moment, the Bushies and their fan club are trying to isolate Iran because of its nuclear program, and making threatening noises at Syria for aiding Hamas and Hezbollah. The next, Administration supporters are hoping Iran and Syria will bail us out of Iraq.

It would be high comedy if nobody was dying.

Impeach Bush and Cheney. Then throw the worthless war criminals into Spandau Prison for the rest of their lives.

Probably something a lot like the Kerry platform.

Somehow, I doubt that those recommendations are going to appear in the Iraq Study Group’s report, though.

I nominate that as the best post on the situation so far. Funny, scary, and not too far from the truth!

I guess it would be tough to get a ‘bipartisan’ group to sign on to that platform just yet. :smiley:

It’s a coming luci, it’s a comin!
Bush Initiates Iraq Policy Review Separate From Baker Group’s

The chess master is on the Job!
[sup]*[/sup] Winky winky added to emphasize that last sentence.

Apparently there are rumors the Iraq Study Group is going to recommend putting a lot more troops into Iraq.

Wonder how W would react to that? Is that exactly what he wants to hear, or exactly what he doesn’t want to hear?

Isn’t it likely that the ISG will present a list of options as in: If you want to achieve X, then do Y. If you want to achieve A, then do B.

BTW, do we know when (if?) the findings will be made public?

December 11, I believe.

What will the ISG come up with? What they’re told to come up with!

As Brad DeLong often reminds us, the Cossacks work for the Czar:

I guess that could account for so many U.S. soldiers suffering from pre-traumatic stress disorder.