Bush promise timely action on Iraq Study Group's report

Washington, Dec 6 (UNI) President George W Bush today promised to ''take every proposal seriously'' of the long-awaited Iraq Study Group's (ISG) report which calls for moving most US troops out of combat roles by early 2008, but without prescribing a time-table for their withdrawal, as demanded by some opposition Democrats.

Talking to newspersons after an hour-long meeting at the White House with the ISG members led by former Secretary of State James Baker, he said that he would act on the recommendations in a ''timely fashion.'' Obviously conscious of the deep division in the US over the Iraq war, which in fact resulted in the defeat of the Republican Party in the November 7 Congressional elections, Mr Bush hoped the bipartisan document would help mark the end of ''political bickering,'' offering ''an opportunity to (the people) come together.'' The 10-member ISG, headed by Mr Baker, a Republican and former Democratic Congressman Lee Hamilton, is currently meeting the lawmakers at the Capitol Hill following which it will formally release the report to the public later in the day.

The report makes out a strong case for the Bush administration seeking help of other West Asian countries in dealing with the Iraq insurgency.

It favours direct talks between the United States and Syria and Iran, Iraq's two immediate neighbours, whom the US administration has long declared as ''states sponsoring terrorism.'' Though, the administration was opposed to Iraq opening any king of dialogue with Iran and Syria in the past, but of late it appears to have relented as indicated by Iraqi President's recent visit to Tehran.

The ISG was launched on March 15 last at a meeting on Capitol Hill. It was created at the direction of a bipartisan group of members of the US Congress.

The Bush administration was not involved in creating the ISG, but the White House welcomed it and has provided access to people, documents and travel to Iraq.

The ISG was not given a statutory mandate when it was created.

However, at the direction of the ISG co-chairs, its orientation has been to offer a forward-looking assessment of the current and prospective situation in Iraq, including policy suggestions and advice.

ISG members have focussed their review of the situation in Iraq on four broad topics: the strategic environment in Iraq and the region; the security of Iraq and key challenges to enhancing security within the country; Political developments within Iraq following the elections and formation of the new government in Baghdad.

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