Baker, Hamilton Assess Obama’s Foreign Policy Challenges

JIM LEHRER:

And next tonight, Baker and Hamilton, former Secretary of State and Treasury Secretary James Baker, a Republican, and former Democratic Congressman Lee Hamilton. They co-chaired the public study group that reviewed Iraq policy in 2006. Hamilton also was co-chair of the 9/11 Commission. Both testified in Congress today on war powers legislation, and I talked to them earlier this evening.

Gentlemen, welcome.

JAMES BAKER, former secretary of State: Thank you.

JIM LEHRER:

Congressman Hamilton, do you support President Obama's troop withdrawal plan for Iraq?

LEE HAMILTON, former co-chair, 9/11 Commission: Yes. I think he's really following the recommendation that Jim Baker and I made several years back, an exit in a responsible way.

I think the exit is going to be tougher than maybe the president thinks, certainly most Americans think, because the fundamental problems have not been resolved in Iraq. But even so, it's time for the Americans to begin to pull out and let the Iraqis take over. We can't stay there forever.

JIM LEHRER:

But the study group's plan was for a much earlier withdrawal than finally happened here, correct?

JAMES BAKER:

Well, that's not really true, Jim. What we said was that, with proper training of Iraqi forces, American combat troops could be withdrawn by March 2008, could be.

JIM LEHRER:

Could be. All right.

JAMES BAKER:

Not should be or would be. And that, by the way, was the Bush administration's own date, General Casey's own date.

But to amplify a little bit on what Lee said, the Obama administration is also proceeding with the diplomatic initiative that we called for in the Iraq Study Group. And they're opening discussions, as you know, with Syria, extensive discussions with Syria.

JIM LEHRER:

In looking back on it now, the two of you really studied this Iraq situation from beginning to end. Was it worth it, Mr. Secretary? Was this war worth it, what we've gotten out of it?

JAMES BAKER:

I think the jury is still a little bit out on that, Jim. I mean, the verdict on that will come in, if we are ultimately successful. And as Lee just said, President Obama has been cautious in the pace of withdrawal of American combat forces. I think we're now talking about 19 months instead of 16 months.

If, at the end of that time, Iraq is a stable country and a friend of the United States in connection with the war on terror, yes, it will have been worth it. We have to be — we have to wait and see whether that's the case.

JIM LEHRER:

Do you agree it was a war we should have fought?

LEE HAMILTON:

I think the verdict is still to come. I think Iraq could go in any number of directions. It could become a chaotic place. It could become a dictatorship. It could become a reasonably stable country with a good influence in the region. It will not become a flourishing democracy. But whether or not the war is judged a success or not I think remains to be seen.