The general consensus, due mainly to leaks from advisors of the ISG itself, is the recommendation the United States return to the policies that brought us September 11th, and suggests we get in bed with the monsters of the world.
It is a report that should also be read with James Baker’s hostility toward Israel in mind. For one of the best assessments of Baker I’ve seen, read Ed Lasky’s “Will James Baker Stay True to Form?” at American Thinker (HT LGF).
Baker Panel Aide Expects Israel Will Be Pressed
WASHINGTON — An expert adviser to the Baker-Hamilton commission expects the 10-person panel to recommend that the Bush administration pressure Israel to make concessions in a gambit to entice Syria and Iran to a regional conference on Iraq.
The assessment was shared in a confidential memorandum — obtained yesterday by The New York Sun — to expert advisers to the commission from a former CIA station chief for Saudi Arabia, Raymond Close. Mr. Close is a member of the expert group advising the commission and was a strong advocate throughout the panel’s deliberations for renewed American diplomacy with Iran and Syria.
Close also writes that Israel should be pressured to give up territory in the Golan to Syria, and believing there can be success in Iraq is a ‘delusion.’ And exactly who is this Mr. Close, the “expert” advisor to the Baker-Hamilton Commission? The Sun has more:
Mr. Close has been an outspoken critic of the war for which he was tasked to advise a strategy. On June 10, 2003 he penned an article for the newsletter “Counterpunch” in which he concluded that the Bush administration’s alleged manipulation of pre-war intelligence “was a crime against those values for which America stands most proud.”
Mr. Close has also been an ally of Saudi Arabia. In 1977, on the day of his retirement from the CIA, while still in Jedda, Mr. Close began working with Saudi Arabia’s then intelligence chief, Kamal Adham…
Mr. Close’s son, Kenneth, is a registered foreign agent for Saudi Arabia.
This obviously speaks volumes about the intentions of the ISG group. The sort of person you hire as an ‘expert’ advisor speaks directly to what you want to hear. In this instance, Baker and his cronies hired a man who has been an outspoken critic of the war from the beginning, has worked for and is an ally of the Saudis, and whose own son is even a foreign agent for Saudi Arabia. Oh yeah, that’ll get you objective advice.
It’s safe to say the recommendations from Baker and his ISG will reflect more of Saudi Arabia’s interests than ours. It is a ‘report’ that should be rejected by the president in its entirely.
If the Sun’s article is not enough, other news items from just the past two days should reinforce the absurdity, and the mortal danger, of treating Iran and Syria as anything other than the depraved terrorist nations they are.
Iran issues fatwa on Azeri writer
One of Iran’s most senior clergymen has issued a fatwa on an Azeri writer said to have insulted the Prophet Muhammad. The call on Muslims to murder Rafiq Tagi, who writes for Azerbaijan’s Senet newspaper, echoes the Iranian fatwa against Indian writer Salman Rushdie.
And this news blogged on earlier:
Iranian Weapons Arm Iraqi Militia
And in the NY Daily News, Frank Gaffney explains why ‘talks’ with Iran and Syria is a very bad idea indeed. Reflecting on how Reagan brought down another Evil Empire, Gaffney also has a suggestion, short of bombing, of how to take down the Iranian regime. It is an idea, I would bet, which is not suggested in the ISG report. In fact, expect every recommendation from that gang to be something that would, first, please the Saudis, and send a message in general to the beasts of the region that terror, torture and savagery work.
Its too bad that Bush 43 has set up a study group of incompetents from the failed Bush 41 middle east policy. But that seems to be the way of Washington–keep rehasing the old, failed policies and never, ever attempt success with new ideas.
Our leaders are absolutely clueless! They have NO ideas on how to deal with these Islamic priciks so now we are going to resort to negotiating with them! That should work out well for us…and I’m sure we will work out a swell deal for Israel in the process! NOT!
The worship of Jim Baker has always amazed me. Remember when the press was panting in 1992 over the fact that he was going to come in and run Bush 41’s campaign? He came in, ran the inept campaign and Bush got killed. The adoration he receives is very, very puzzling. He appears to be an appeaser. Maybe that’s why the press and the liberal establishment like (love) him so much.
It’s my understanding that the Baker Commission is independent, and was not initiated by the Bush Administration, but rather by Baker and some associates. They can say what they have to say, but Bush doesn’t have to listen to any of it.