Bush policy in Iraq 'not working': U.S. panel

A bipartisan panel has recommended the United States engage Syria and Iran to help resolve the "grave and deteriorating" conflict in Iraq, but its report doesn'tinclude a firm timeline for American troop withdrawal.

"The current situation is not working," panel co-chair and former Democratic representative Lee Hamilton said bluntly Wednesday following the report's release. "We do not know if it can be turned around, but we have an obligation to try."

The report, released Wednesday, also recommends the U.S. speed up training of Iraqi security forces, prodding President George W. Bush to launch a "diplomatic offensive" to stabilize the country and allow withdrawal of most combat troops by early 2008.

"There is no path that can guarantee success, but the prospects can be improved," the commission said after its review of a war that has taken the lives of more than 2,900 U.S. troops and disturbed the American public.

It alsosaid the U.S. focuson Iraq has "necessarily diverted attention from Afghanistan" andadded a troop withdrawal could allow the U.S. to bolster its contribution toNATO's Afghan mission, which includes more than 2,000Canadian soldiers fighting the Taliban.

"It is critical for the United Statesto provide additional political, economic and military supportfor Afghanistan, including resources that might becomeavailable as combat forces are moved from Iraq," the report said.

10 U.S. soldiers killed

The study group's report came as 10 U.S.soldiers were killed Wednesday in four separate incidents in Iraq, the U.S. military said withoutgiving further details.

The panel made 79 recommendations to address the situation that the report warns could have dire consequences, both at home and abroad.

The full commission, comprising veteran policy-makers from both political parties and led by Hamilton and former secretary of state James Baker, presented the report to Bush at 7 a.m. ET after eight months of studying the Iraq crisis.

Bush, who had been briefed on the report a day earlier, acknowledged Wednesday that the report "gives a very tough assessment" of the situation in Iraq.

"It is a report that brings some really very interesting proposals, and we will take every proposal seriously and we will act in a timely fashion."

Report 'not binding': Baker

It is unclear how many of the panel's recommendations Bush will adopt.

"It doesn't bind anyone," Baker said of the report."It doesn't bind anyone on Capitol Hill and it doesn't bind the president."

In Washington, the CBC's Henry Champ said thestudy groupis aware that appealing to the votersthrough the mediais the best way to putpressure on the White House to enact the recommendations.

TheWhite Houseaccuses Syria and Iran of bankrolling terrorism and stirring upviolence in the region. The United States has had no diplomatic ties to Iran for nearly three decades, and pulled its ambassador from Syria last year.

Following the presentation to the president, the group briefed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his team via secure video conference from the White House.

Report paints grim picture

The report painted a grim picture of Iraq nearly four years after U.S. forces toppled Saddam Hussein. During thattime, the U.S. government has spent about $400 billion US in Iraq, it says.

It callsfor the creation ofan Iraqsupport group including "all of Iraq's neighbours and key states in and outside the region" including the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, as well asEgypt, Syria and Iran.

There is a strong wish within the Iraqi government to engage Syria and Iran to stabilize the region, said Ned Parker, a reporter for the Times of London in Baghdad.

"In general, Iraqi officials are welcoming negotiations," Parkertold CBC News on Wednesday.

But he added the government is leery over what role other countries such as Saudi Arabia,Jordan andTurkey would play in Iraq becauseit is uncertain what preconditions those countries would bring totalks.