Bush aides consider an Iraq truce at the Capitol

[RamboLiberal]

Source: LA Times

The Bush administration has begun exploring ways of offering Congress a compromise deal on Iraq policy to avert bruising battles in coming months, U.S. officials said.

With public support of the war dropping, President Bush has authorized an internal policy review to find a plan that could satisfy opponents without sacrificing his top goals, the officials said.

The president and senior officials "realize they can't keep fighting this over and over," said one administration official, who along with others declined to be identified because they weren't authorized to speak publicly or because decisions were pending.

The Republican White House has not opened formal negotiations with the Democratic-controlled Congress. But some senior administration officials — including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad — have been quietly talking with lawmakers about how to adjust policy in the months ahead. Among other ideas, they have discussed whether the United States should advocate a sharply decentralized Iraq, a notion that has seen a resurgence on Capitol Hill.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-iraqdeal25jun25,0,5897415.story?coll=la-home-center

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Dems - no more damn bending over! You have the position of strength on this!

[John Q. Citizen]

1. Empire is bush's top policy goal, and he's sure to find a lot of top Dems to support him

on that.

I always thought the goal was a broken up segragated Iraq. The planning seems to suggest just that. Much easier to control the oil, and to play one side off against the others. if one of the three new countries decides they no longer want permanent American bases, one of the other two will accept them, if just to piss it's neighbors off.

[opihimoimoi]

2. The DEMs patience has won the day...Bush comes crawling to make a deal...

[Maggie_May]

3. No more deals!

No more bending over bring our troops home now. Thats why I voted in 2006 and if they don't bring them home I will surely vote different in 2008! I know a lot of people that feel the way I do. If the Dems do not bring them home they are no different than the Repuks!
As you can see I have had enough and if we the people do not get what we want its time for a new party.

[PFunk]

4. It's more like the public's determination over ending this war

Since they are pushing the democraits to end it if nothing else to get their high aproval numbers back. And more and more republicans are getting ready to bolt Bush and follow them.

[sutz12]

5. Maybe he should try for a truce........you know...........actually in Iraq. nt

:shrug:

[TwilightGardener]

6. My knee-jerk reaction is that splitting Iraq into three parts is kinda dumb--

it's another artificial re-make of this country, and may end up resulting in an even bigger civil war than if all sects were forced to live in proximity to each other. Other surrounding countries would take sides with the various sects--I don't know about this. What if it ends up being like Israel/Palestine--constant strife over territory?

[youngdem]

13. Nah, the artificial remake was the British construct of the Iraqi state in the first place

Iraq did not exist prior to WWI, when the League of Nations granted control of the remnants of the Ottoman Empire to the UK to rule over. The Brits went out and found a client leader they could control and oppressed the Kurds and Shia with military force, and Iraq was born.


The break up, while disconcerting to us, is getting back to the natural order of things there.

[TwilightGardener]

18. That's what I meant by another artificial remake--

we can't really go back in time and "undo" Iraq, I believe, even if we would be returning it to something closer than its original state. The Iraqis have to figure this out on their own. We need to stop meddling and acting like we know what's best for them--that's how we got into this mess to begin with.

[Lasher]

7. Republican compromise = Democrats agree to their terms

I don't see any advantage in compromising with Republicans. If none of them will vote with us to end the war in Iraq, let them answer to the voters next year.

[opihimoimoi]

10. I see it the other way around...Bush has to compromise....He must come crawlin

[Lasher]

11. That's pretty much what I meant.

We shouldn't give in on anything. We should keep the pressure on and not agree with any of his terms.

[opihimoimoi]

12. srry...I misinterpet your title head line.....Poor Bush,....he needs more prozac

[IndianaGreen]

8. It is up to the Iraqis to determine the shape of their country, not the US Colonial Office

Breaking up Iraq has more to do with the US keeping the oil regions controlled by our puppets the Kurds, than it does about ending sectarian violence. The Republican neocons and their neolib Democratic allies are still trying to achieve the goals of the US invasion, control the oil!

Progressives should join the Iraqi people, which is not the government we installed at the point of a gun, and oppose any attemps to breakup Iraq.

[arewenotdemo]

9. I totally agree.

[rodeodance]

14. so, Bush wants to talk about a deal but he wants to keep all his goals. umm..

[rodeodance]

15. REC

[rodeodance]

16. Bush was victorious last month in the most recent round of his battle with congressional Democrats o

Bush was victorious last month in the most recent round of his battle with congressional Democrats over Iraq. He forced them, after weeks of struggle, to accept a $120-billion emergency war spending bill that did not require reductions of U.S. troops in Iraq. But future White House battles with Congress are looming.

Leading congressional Republicans have signaled that they expect a new U.S. course by September, when a key military assessment is due. Democrats, meanwhile, intend to use other legislative measures to push Bush toward a troop withdrawal, beginning as early as this week's deliberations on a Defense authorization bill.

An accord with Congress could save the White House from refighting the issue every few months. But the odds of a compromise are long.

[rodeodance]

17. Joining Biden is Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), one of the strongest proponents of a deadline for wi

possibility — not the guarantee, but the possibility — of a soft landing in Iraq."

"I believe it is the best way to end the war in Iraq in a responsible way," he said.

The idea is gaining popularity on Capitol Hill.

Joining Biden is Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), one of the strongest proponents of a deadline for withdrawing most U.S. combat troops. Also cosponsoring the measure are three Republicans, including two conservatives not usually seen as Democrats' allies on the war: Brownback and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas.

Although Hutchison has spoken since last year about creating semiautonomous regions in Iraq, she has generally been one of the administration's most loyal allies on Capitol Hill.

[librechik]

19. Bush always lies--hes' just asking for them to talk sweet to him until he leaves

and he doesn't deserve that consideration!

What does he offer in return?

And he lies!

[alllyingwhores]

20. Why would pissy pants have to compromise on anything?

The Democrats are more than happy to roll over on anything--it's easy with no spines to hold you up.

[annabanana]

21. "a plan that could satisfy opponents. . .

without sacrificing his top goals"

Nope. That would require that he actually state, for real, what his top goals are. There will be nothing but smoke and mirrors, feints and dodges,. . a new round of what passes for verbal razzle-dazzle in that crowd.

In other words, he will offer nothing except some empty, unenforceable declaration of good intentions.