July 1, 2007 (LPAC) Appearing on CBS Face the Nation, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) stressed that it is important for the President to get together with a bipartisan group now to initiate three things vis a vis the Iraq war: 1) set up a continuous diplomatic forum with Iraq and its neighbors; 2) change the focus of U.S. troop presence to training and taking care of borders, for an indefinite period of time; and 3) withdraw the majority of U.S. troops over the next few months.

He argued that even if the surge is working to some degree, the U.S. cannot stay long enough for the political problems to be worked out by the Iraqis-- there is really no progress between Shi'a and Sunnis. We have to be prepared to deal with problems in the broader area. Lugar said that he has talked to Republicans and Democrats, and there is interest in what he is saying. He alluded to the bipartisan group (6-7 from each party) that has formed around putting the Baker-Hamilton plan into law. Lugar said he's not alone in his party. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., was very encouraging. "I hope something will come of this now," Lugar said, "not punting the ball down to September when these reports all come in and we have some good news, some bad news."

Asked if the President is listening, Lugar said yes, and that he would like to talk with Bush privately.