White House rejects some Iraq strategy options
Source: Reuters
(Adds Hadley comment) By Steve Holland WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday rejected two options for changing course in Iraq as a high-profile commission works to give President George W. Bush recommendations in coming weeks on ways to shift strategy in the unpopular war. White House spokesman Tony Snow branded as a "nonstarter" an idea to divide Iraq into semi-autonomous Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish regions -- an idea raised by an ally of Bush, Texas Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. He had a similar rejection for a proposal to conduct a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops, perhaps of 5 percent every two months, floated by some members of the U.S. Congress. Snow described as "a bunch of hooey" a report in The Washington Times the Bush administration was preparing for a "course correction" in Iraq. It is uncertain whether a partition of Iraq and a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops will be offered in a package of recommendations being prepared by former Secretary of State James Baker, a longtime Bush family friend, and former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton. But the Baker-Hamilton panel, known as the Iraq Study Group, is writing a report that officials familiar with the panel's deliberations say will offer a shift in strategy in Iraq. It will be released after the Nov. 7 congressional elections so as not to become a factor in political campaigns. Bush's Republicans are at risk of losing control of Congress in the elections. Snow said Bush and his team would take seriously the report of the bipartisan commission but that Bush would consider it an "advisory report," meaning he would not necessarily be bound by its conclusions. Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security adviser, said the administration would view the Baker-Hamilton report as a "vehicle for looking at a number of new ideas" on the way forward in Iraq. "We have made adjustments (in Iraq) in the past and we will make adjustments in the future," he said. Bush's strategy has been to stay in Iraq until its fledgling government can achieve stability and prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda and other anti-U.S. militants. Snow said it would be "absolutely catastrophic" for Iraq to become a launching pad for Islamic militants. "So there is no option here, and therefore, we will entertain no option other than to succeed and finish the job," he said. In an interview with Time Magazine, Vice President Dick Cheney sounded a similar theme when asked whether the president would be looking for an exit strategy after the election. "I know what the president thinks. I know what I think. And we're not looking for an exit strategy. We're looking for victory," he said.
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