Aide Says Bush Plans Changes in Approach to Iraq

December 3, 2006

By STEVEN R. WEISMAN

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 — President Bush plans “significant changes” in his approach to Iraq after he reviews options drafted by an outside panel of experts and suggestions from others in the administration and Congress, Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, said today.

Mr. Hadley, whose own internal memo expressing doubts about the Iraqi leadership stirred a debate when it was disclosed last week, said Mr. Bush would announce “a new way forward” in Iraq in the coming weeks, once he goes through the recommendations from various groups.

Among the options to be examined are those expected to be released on Wednesday from the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, led by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III and former Representative Lee H. Hamilton. The group has spent most of the last year studying Iraq strategy.

“The president has said that what is going on in Iraq is not going well enough or fast enough,” Mr. Hadley said on the NBC News program “Meet the Press.” “The president said we need to make changes. Some of those changes are going to be significant changes.”
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