Mon Jan 8, 1:22 PM ET
US President George W. Bush on Wednesday will address Americans on his long-awaited new plan for Iraq.
Though the White House has refused to detail the main thrusts of the new strategy, several possible recommendations are already fueling fierce political debate, notably among Democrats emboldened by their capture of Congress.
The new plan for the unpopular war, due to be laid out in a prime time television address, will include a surge of troops, benchmarks on political reconstruction for Iraq's government and a new jobs program designed to boost the country's moribund economy, reports said. To prepare the ground for a new approach, Bush has already shuffled the decks in his military command for Iraq, and also his national security team.
- Troop surge
The worst-kept secret in Washington is that Bush, who some critics claim never sent enough troops to Iraq, is mulling a "surge" of up to 20,000 soldiers in an effort to enforce security, notably in violence-torn Baghdad. Democrats have reacted angrily to the reports, calling on Bush to start a staged withdrawal of US troops from Iraq within four to six months.
- Benchmarks for Iraqi government
The Iraqi government will be given a series of goals or "benchmarks" to speed reconciliation, the New York Times reported. Under the plan, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will be required to draw more Sunnis into political life in Baghdad, conclude a measure on distribution of oil revenue and ease limits on activity of former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party.
- Economic Aid
Bush will also announce a new jobs program for Iraq which will cost as much as one billion dollars and be part of a key new anti-insurgency strategy, the New York Times reported. The Wall Street Journal said Bush was preparing a supplemental budget request to including a total of more than 1.4 billion dollars in security, economic and other aid for the Iraqi government. The plan would see Iraqis offered jobs to clean up areas secured by a combination of US and Iraq troops. Previous US economic and reconstruction assistance have failed to drain the well of violence and instability in Iraq.
- Middle East diplomacy
Bush may also signal a new US bid to thaw frozen peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, following strong pressure from moderate Arab states and European nations. The hope would be that modified US regional policy could bolster tarnished US standing in the region. Bush has signaled strongly however that he will not bow to calls for talks with Syria and Iran over Iraq, as suggested in the report by the independent Iraq Study Group published in December.
-Personnel changes
Bush has already laid the groundwork for a new strategy by retooling his chain of command in Iraq. Controversial former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld was replaced by Robert Gates late last year. Last week, Bush said Lieutenant General David Petraeus, seen as more open to a troop surge, would replace General George Casey as top officer in Iraq.
General John Abizaid, head of crucial Central Command, will retire and be replaced by Admiral William Fallon.
Bush also sent intelligence czar John Negroponte, an expert on Iraq from his time as the first post-war US ambassador there, to be Deputy Secretary of State. His place as director of national intelligence will be taken by former high-ranking intelligence officer Michael McConnell.