WASHINGTON — The U.S. military is conducting a post-election, bipartisn analysis of the
strategy in Iraq.
The latest review comes in wake of the defeat of Bush's Republican Party
in congressional elections on Nov. 7. On Nov. 8, Bush fired Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, blamed for the
failures of the war.
Officials said the U.S. military command in Iraq has been coordinating
with other units to determine ways to help quell the insurgency in Iraq.
They said the Defense Department and Joint Chiefs of Staff have been
cooperating in the effort as a bipartisan group prepares to release
recommendations on the U.S. military presence in Iraq, Middle East Newsline reported.
"I think we have to maintain our focus on what objectives we want for
the United States," Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
"And then we need to give ourselves a good, honest scrub about what is
working and what is not working, what are the impediments to progress, and
what should we change about the way we're doing it to ensure that we get to
the objective that we've set for ourselves."
Pace said the review was being conducted by U.S. military commander in
Iraq Gen. George Casey and Gen. John Abizaid, the head of Central Command.
Both men have been discussing strategy with President George Bush on a
weekly basis.
"We're making our recommendations, we're having our dialogue, and we'll
make the changes that are needed to get ourselves more focused on the
correct objectives," Pace said in a television interview.
Rumsfeld has been replaced with former CIA director Robert Gates, also a
member of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. Bush and his advisers
were scheduled to meet the group, led by former Secretary of State James
Baker.
Officials said Bush wanted the military's response to recommendations by
the ISG. They said the group was expected to recommend a redeployment in
Iraq as well as cooperation with that nation's neighbors, particularly Iran
and Syria.
"We clearly need a fresh approach," White House Chief of Staff Josh
Bolten said on Sunday.
