Baker surfaces as key adviser to Bush on Iraq

[TomInTib]

Meanwhile, Miss Rice deposits her paycheck...

President Bush has acceded to his father's urging and has made former Secretary of State James Baker a leading adviser on Iraq.

Administration sources said Mr. Baker, head of the congressionally mandated Iraq Study Group, has been discussing with the president recommendations on an exit strategy that could begin after the November elections. They said Mr. Baker's approach to Iraq differs sharply from that of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The sources said Mr. Baker has maintained an extremely low profile and slips in and out of Baghdad without fanfare. They said that unlike the elder Bush's national security adviser, Brent Scowcroft, Mr. Baker has avoided stepping on the toes of such senior officials as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who has been wary of Mr. Baker's access to the president.

http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/Baker.htm

[Rex]

1. Baker is the man in charge behind the scenes.

About the only one with any real brains. To bad it is an evil brain, used for bad deeds. :(

[Captain Hilts]

5. He hates W and would have told him not to invade Iraq.

Remember, it was his people writing those op-eds before the invasion opposing it.

He's being brought in, again, to clean up a Bush-made mess.

So, anyone seen Margaret Tutweiler yet? Nudge, nudge...wink, wink...

[rusty_parts2001]

14. Is the old coot still slipping her the salami?

[Captain Hilts]

15. One can't help but wonder. Perhaps a yellow rose...

appears on her pillow occasionally, as in the old days...

ps. I've met Tutweiler, she's a riot.

[Skidmore]

2. That old breathing walking evil has more lives than

the evil Dick. They only send him out with things are FUBAR.

[roamer65]

3. Another Bush Crime Family member

...but Iraq is way too FUBAR for even Baker to fix.

[bridgit]

4. ah yes, the usual suspects over & over & over & over...

x(

[TomInTib]

7. The more things change...

You know the rest of that old song.

[bridgit]

11. yes sir i do...

sad

[kurth]

6. The senior counselor and equity partner of Carlyle Group is concerned

about his holdings.

[Virginia Dare]

8. So Poppy is charged with cleaning up another mess?

things must really be getting ugly if they're sending in the cavalry.

[bridgit]

12. he's had to bail his precious son out of everything else what not this...

:shrug:

[Gman]

9. From bailing W's ass out in 2000

to bailing his ass out in Iraq. Baker does it all for Poppy. What will W do when Poppy's not around to bail his ass out anymore?

[Virginia Dare]

13. Good question...

because I don't think Poppy's friends will touch him with a 10 foot pole when that time comes. If Bar goes first, I think Poppy will cut him loose anyway.

[Benhurst]

10. Dear god, he's going to the undead for help! NT

[AlCzervik]

16. Baker is just damn creepy, "Slips in and out of Baghdad" *shudder*

Baker is running his own shadow government.

[DemInDistress]

17. is this the same PNAC needs a catastrophic and catalyzing

event like a new Pearl Harbor Baker?