ISG Report

The ISG Report (2006) is about what President Bush should do about Iraq. The ISG, the ten wise men led by James Baker, put out their report this week after nine months of work.

America took over Iraq three years ago but has been unable to bring peace to the land. Now Iraq is slipping into a civil war between Sunni and Shia Muslims. Hundreds die each week with no end in sight.

The report says Iraq stands at the edge of the abyss. If America keeps on its present course, the government in Iraq could fall and sink the country, if not the region, into all-out war. Al Qaeda would say it had won and America would become much weaker in the world.

There are two important things America must do:

• It must talk to Iraq’s neighbours. Not just about Iraq but the wider peace in the region, including Israel, Palestine and Lebanon. Peace will not come to Iraq unless it comes to the region as a whole.America must especially talk to Iran and Syria. Both countries have a stake in a peaceful Iraq, yet both are letting money, arms and men cross into Iraq, deepening the violence there.
• It must help Iraq stand on its own, which means especially its army. America should support and train the army, but it must stop fighting for it. Iraq must prove it wants to be helped by making solid, measurable progress towards governing itself. Most of all, the Sunnis and Shiites must begin to work together for the good of the country.America must make clear to Iraq that its commitment is not open-ended: it will help Iraq only as long as it is serious about helping itself.

Iraq cannot be treated alone as a military affair. It goes way beyond that.

If America does these things then it should be able to pull most of its military out of Iraq by early 2008, barring surprises.

The report says that its road forward is not perfect and America may still fail, but it is the best chance for Iraq, the region and America.

The report changes the meaning of victory. For Bush victory means Iraq as a land of freedom and democracy. For the ISG it means an Iraq that can stand on its own two feet.

The ISG is made up of five Republicans, Bush’s own political party, and five Democrats. All ten agreed to what the report says. That should give it great political weight.

Bush, as president, makes all the final decisions about war, but it will be hard for him to oppose the report outright. He said he would give it his serious consideration. He is waiting for a similar report from the military and from his own people and will come to a decision about Iraq within a few weeks.

In November the Republicans lost control of both houses of Congress, largely because of Bush’s troubles in Iraq. If Iraq is not on the mend by 2008, the Republicans will probably lose the White House as well.

See also:

• The Baghdad Surge – Bush’s answer
• Iraq
• American Empire
  
• Muslim
• Shia Islam
• democracy
• Bush
• Palestine