Please, please listen

These words are from today's Washington Post regarding the Iraq Study Group report. I admit that I am biased against President Bush at this point, but regardless I sincerely hope that he will listen to outside counsel regarding alternatives for Iraq.

There's only one reader who really counts, though, and I doubt he'll be impressed. The Decider isn't in the habit of letting mere facts get in the way of blind conviction...

The document concludes with 79 recommendations, most of which are eminently reasonable and none of which will get us out of Iraq overnight. The president will probably reject some out of hand -- talking directly with Syria and Iran, for example. And while it would be good if the president finally realized that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would lower the temperature throughout the Middle East, I'm pretty sure it will take more than a phone call to persuade the Israeli government to give up the Golan Heights.

[Group member Vernon] Jordan said that when the members of the panel met with Bush on Wednesday, the president's attitude was encouraging. "My mama used to say that a lot of people listen, but they don't hear," Jordan said. "Bush both listened and heard us."

I genuinely hope that the U.S. can made an authentic and innovative change in its Iraq strategy that will gradually and eventually lead to a safer, more prosperous and ultimately independent nation where Iraq now stands.