U.S. panel to propose policy changes in Iraq: report

A special panel backed by President George W. Bush is to propose significant changes in the administration's strategy in Iraq by early next year, The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday.

The report said that the panel headed by former Secretary of State James Baker, is to be created by the U.S. Congress and is going to be backed by the Bush administration.

Two options under consideration would represent reversals in U.S. policy: withdrawing American troops in phases, and bringing neighboring Iran and Syria into a joint effort to stop the fighting in Iraq, said the newspaper, citing members of the group.

The current U.S. policy on Iraq "isn't working" and "there's got to be another way," the paper quoted an unnamed member of the group as saying.

As violence in Iraq has worsened, more Republicans in the Congress and administration officials have become receptive to policy changes in Iraq, the paper said.

"Our commission believes that there are alternatives between the stated alternatives, the ones that are out there in the political debate of 'stay the course' and 'cut and run'," Baker said.

"I believe in talking to our enemies. Neither the Syrians nor the Iranians want a chaotic Iraq, so maybe there is some potential for getting something other than opposition from those countries."

Bringing Iran and Syria into negotiations would require significant changes in U.S. policy, the paper said.

The panel is to be formed in March next year, it said.

Source: Xinhua