Opinion (Cal Thomas): This way out?

The Iraq Study Group

By its own admission, the Iraq Study Group (ISG) has submitted a "flawed" report to the president, to Congress and to the American people.

While the report properly calls for the Iraqi government to do more to reconcile warring factions, take greater control of its defense and defeat insurgent-terrorists, the ISG falls into a trap set by panel co-chair James Baker, who has long believed what the U.S. and Israel do determines the behavior of unelected dictators and religious fanatics.

"Given the ability of Iran and Syria to influence events within Iraq and their interest in avoiding chaos in Iraq," the report says, "the United States should try to engage them constructively." The ISG must not have noticed that Iran and Syria are largely responsible for destabilizing Baghdad. Syria is simultaneously using its Hezbollah proxy to undermine the elected Lebanese government. What possible reason would Iran and Syria have to stabilize Iraq so the United States can leave behind a free nation? Iran and Syria would see a free Iraq as a threat to their own dictatorial regimes.

Here's another flaw, straight from the familiar Baker playbook: "The United States cannot achieve its goals in the Middle East unless it deals directly with the Arab-Israeli conflict and regional instability." Among other things, that means "a commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine." Leaving aside the historical argument that Israel is Palestine, that approach has been tried (and has failed) over several administrations because the "Palestinian" side will accept only a formula that obliterates the state of Israel.

Read the rest at the Washington Times