Iraq Study Group’s harsh verdict
By Adam Brookes
BBC News, WashingtonPresident Bush’s dreams of a stable, democratic Iraq have been ailing for a long time.
On Wednesday, James Baker and the Iraq Study Group presided over their demise.
Even the report’s title, “The Way Forward – A New Approach”, implied the failure of America’s project in Iraq.
Its opening words have an air of despondency: “The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating.”
Mr Baker’s evaluation is harsh, and he offers no hope of radical renewal.
His report appears geared to averting catastrophe, but even then he says no path can guarantee success.
Six sentences, eight negatives, 100% editorializing disguised as news.
But cheer up, the Beeb outdid itself in the TV broadcast, where they started by saying that the Iraq Survey Group had been meeting “in a gloomy room in the Senate”.
