What Baker Should Tell Bush

Joe Klein on the memo that the former Secretary of State and co-chair of the Iraq Study Group ought to send to the President

To: The President From: James A. Baker III Re: How You Can Keep Iraq from Falling Apart

Mr. President:

As you know, the commission that I co-chair with Lee Hamilton isn't scheduled to submit its Iraq-policy recommendations until next month, but the situation on the ground is deteriorating rapidly and I felt compelled to offer this unofficial interim report. Your range of options in Iraq has narrowed dramatically. It is possible that the situation is beyond salvage. The remainder of your presidency may be spent managing the international consequences of a historic policy failure. You must change course dramatically and soon. Your...

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