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Iraq Study Group Recommendations and the European UnionPosted by Editors in US Foreign Policy on Thursday, December 7. 2006
[UPDATE: Dialog International translates parts of the German press coverage.]
In presenting the Iraq Study Group report, James A. Baker III. (video) made a blunt assessment: Struggling in a world of fear, the Iraqis themselves dare not dream. They have been liberated from the nightmare of a tyrannical order only to face the nightmare of brutal violence.The bi-partisan panel made 79 recommendations (pdf), some of them involve the European Union (and Germany specifically): RECOMMENDATION 5: The Support Group should consist of Iraq and all the states bordering Iraq, including Iran and Syria; the key regional states, including Egypt and the Gulf States; the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council; the European Union; and, of course, Iraq itself. Other countries—for instance, Germany, Japan and South Korea—that might be willing to contribute to resolving political, diplomatic, and security problems affecting Iraq could also become members.• The Iraq Study Group states that the European Union and others "need to become hands-on participants in Iraq's reconstruction." • The report calls for a Middle East peace conference (like the Madrid Conference in 1991) with two separate tracks (Israel-Palestine and Israel-Syria/Lebanon) that could possibly by under the auspices of the Quartett, of which the EU is a member. • The report discusses what is at stake for the US and mentions: "A senior European official told us that failure in Iraq could incite terrorist attacks within his country." Only one? The Associated Press writes about the Iraq Study Group report in general: After nearly four years of war and the deaths of more than 2,900 U.S. troops, the situation is "grave and deteriorating" and America's ability "to influence events within Iraq is diminishing," the commission warned. It recommended the U.S. reduce "political, military or economic support" for Iraq if the government in Baghdad cannot make substantial progress toward providing for its own security. The report said Bush should put aside misgivings and engage Syria, Iran and the leaders of insurgent forces in negotiations on Iraq's future, to begin by year's end. It urged him to revive efforts at a broader Middle East peace. Barring a significant change, it warned of a "slide toward chaos." In a slap at the Pentagon, the commission said there is "significant underreporting" of the actual level of violence in the country. It also faulted the U.S. intelligence effort, saying the government "still does not understand very well either the insurgency in Iraq or the role of the militias."Related post in the Atlantic Review: German President Koehler Calls for more European Help to Stabilise Iraq Welcome! You are reading the ATLANTIC REVIEW -- a Press Digest on Transatlantic Relations combined with commentary and analysis by four young professionals from Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. More about us. The horizontal menu bar at the top helps to navigate this site. Subscribe to one of our RSS-Feeds or to our newsletter, which is emailed twice per month.Trackbacks
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Fischer
- #1 - 2006-12-06 20:59 - (Reply)
" The Iraq Study Group states that the European Union and others "need to become hands-on participants in Iraq's reconstruction." "
JW-Atlantic Review
- #1.1 - 2006-12-06 21:26 - (Reply)
Thanks for your comment, Fischer.
Fischer
- #1.1.1 - 2006-12-06 21:57 - (Reply)
"I am curious, if Pres Bush will implement the most crucial recommendations of the ISG group, like talking to Syria and Iran (incl. restarting the Israel-Syria peace talks)."
JW-Atlantic Review
- #1.1.1.1 - 2006-12-06 22:30 - (Reply)
"We are deep in "white man's burden" territory here, I think."
Godwael
- #1.1.1.1.1 - 2006-12-07 00:35 - (Reply)
"You are misreading my comment."
JW-Atlantic Review
- #1.1.1.1.1.1 - 2006-12-07 00:58 - (Reply)
> I don't think so. You talked about our "responsibility" for
Don S
- #1.1.1.1.1.2 - 2006-12-07 04:34 - (Reply)
"Time for a hands-off-approach. It's worth a try."
David
- #1.1.1.1.1.2.1 - 2006-12-07 16:10 - (Reply)
Don S.,
Don S
- #1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1 - 2006-12-08 01:44 - (Reply)
It's a combination of the banal and the downright stupid.
Don S
- #1.1.1.2 - 2006-12-07 15:19 - (Reply)
"No, our European politicians should bloody well take responsibility for Europe's future, that's what the term "european politician" means. They rule Europe. Not the rest of the world."
David
- #2 - 2006-12-06 22:25 - (Reply)
Finally a realistic analysis of the situation in Iraq. Even though the ISG report is a compromise document, I am impressed with its blunt assessment. I haven't read all 79 recommendations yet, but the ones I've looked at seem far more rational than the deceptive rhetoric we've gotten from the Bush administration for the past 4 years.
Yank
- #3 - 2006-12-06 22:25 - (Reply)
That about sums it up.
Anonymous
- #3.1 - 2006-12-06 22:56 - (Reply)
"Euros" avoiding making matters worse.
Anonymous
- #3.1.1 - 2006-12-06 22:58 - (Reply)
Correction: Europeans don't want to make matters worse. They try to avoid quagmires.
clarence
- #3.2 - 2006-12-07 11:09 - (Reply)
"Next"??
Zyme
- #3.2.1 - 2006-12-07 11:54 - (Reply)
If someone is to blame here, it is the respective governments. You cannot blame the troops, when they have not been ordered to act.
clarence
- #3.2.1.1 - 2006-12-07 12:52 - (Reply)
Zyme, I will give you an edge in this debate: choose any EU English-language (please; so we can both read it) account of that massacre. (Wikipedia and the BBC might do for a start.)
said
- #4 - 2006-12-07 00:34 - (Reply)
November 28, 2006
JW-Atlantic Review
- #4.1 - 2006-12-07 01:07 - (Reply)
Said,
clarence
- #4.1.1 - 2006-12-07 14:46 - (Reply)
Jörg,
Layla Anwar
- #4.1.2 - 2006-12-14 02:11 - (Reply)
Hello ,
Trobert
- #5 - 2006-12-07 05:22 - (Reply)
"A life we had before you and your ilk took it all away."
Anonymous
- #5.1 - 2006-12-07 13:09 - (Reply)
"Did he forget the Iran-Iraq war, Saddam's reign and the invasion of Kuwait?"
Zyme
- #5.1.1 - 2006-12-07 15:33 - (Reply)
"Safety, a job, clean drinking water, electricity, etc are more important for the quality of life than freedom of the press and voting for sectarian parties. Elections in themselves are not of any value."
Zyme
- #6 - 2006-12-07 07:02 - (Reply)
Actually there is a European way to handle politics in the third world which can´t be described as a "hands-off approach". And this way is working much better than the american regime-change approach.
Bill
- #6.1 - 2006-12-07 13:59 - (Reply)
Zyme,
Zyme
- #6.2 - 2006-12-07 15:12 - (Reply)
Bill
2020
- #7 - 2006-12-07 07:09 - (Reply)
Too late. The Bush-Administration has only strengthend America's enemies - and behind those enemies stands Russia.
Don S
- #8 - 2006-12-08 02:18 - (Reply)
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