 A HIGH-LEVEL bipartisan commission in Washington examining the Iraq war will recommend a gradual pullback of the 15 US combat brigades in the country, adding to pressure on the Bush administration to shift course. The so-called Iraq Study Group is also set to urge the administration to pursue greater regional diplomacy regarding Iraq, including engaging Iran and Syria. The 10-member Iraq panel, led by former secretary of state James Baker, reached a consensus in Washington yesterday on a final report but it is said to have stopped short of setting a firm timetable for the withdrawal. |