[Texgreen] Bush and Brits in denial over failed policy

[Roger Baker]

"On the departure of troops, frankly in the UK and US most of the =20
time people are talking about solving the US/UK problem, not solving =20
the Iraqi problem,"

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<http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1120-04.htm>

Published on Monday, November 20, 2006 by the Independent / UK
US and Britain Are in Denial over Failed Policy, Says Former Envoy
by Anne Penketh

Iraq needs a new government to begin a process of national =20
reconciliation leading to the withdrawal of foreign troops, because =20
the US, Britain and Iraqi leaders are in a "state of denial" about =20
their failed policy, a former UN envoy to the country says.

"There is a refusal to accept that the so-called process is not =20
working. It collapsed a long time ago. They should sit down and put =20
something else up. What we need is a serious attempt at national =20
reconciliation that has never taken place," said Lakhdar Brahimi, the =20=

Algerian diplomat who put together the first blueprint for the =20
transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis after the overthrow of Saddam =20
Hussein in 2003.

Mr Brahimi, who has testified to the Iraq Study Group led by the =20
former US secretary of state James Baker, emphasised that he was =20
speaking in his personal capacity.

"On the departure of troops, frankly in the UK and US most of the =20
time people are talking about solving the US/UK problem, not solving =20
the Iraqi problem," he said. In the context of a national =20
reconciliation programme, a temporary increase in troops may prove =20
necessary, he said, but "part of that process will have to be a =20
solemn, unequivocal, clear commitment to withdrawal and that there =20
will be no more military bases in Iraq. Whether withdrawal takes =20
place in six to eight months, or all at once, that would be part of =20
the big negotiations."

He added that "what is very, very disturbing is that the militias =20
killing Iraqis are actually in the government. In other words part of =20=

the government is part of the problem." He also warned that allowing =20
Iraq to break up into three parts, as advocated by some politicians =20
and commentators in the US and Britain, would produce "chaos, first =20
inside Iraq, and then all over the region".

Mr Brahimi said the US and the UK should consult Iran and Syria on =20
ending the violence in Iraq, but he warned that these two states =20
alone do not hold a "miracle solution". All of Iraq's neighbours, =20
including Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Arab =20
League, should be involved in a negotiated solution, he said.

Asked whether the "window of opportunity" had already closed for =20
Iraq, Mr Brahimi replied: "It's never totally closed. The thing is to =20=

know how to reopen it, but after how many thousands more are dead?"
=A9 2006 Independent News and Media Limited=