Experts advise Obama on Iraq strategy

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- As the United States prepares for a transition of power, Washington should ensure continuity in U.S. policy toward Iraq, members of the Iraq Study Group said.

The bipartisan panel, facilitated by the U.S. Institute of Peace, issued a policy brief outlining recommendations on Iraq for President-elect Barack Obama as he prepares to take office in January.

The report cautions that while gains in Iraq were remarkable, the potential exists for the country to descend into violence if the U.S. troop presence outlined in a bilateral Status of Forces Agreement is not managed properly.

"U.S. withdrawal should not create a situation even more costly to American interests than the war so far has been," the group warns.

Obama should make it a priority to express his commitment to the SOFA in his first months in office, the group advised, but also create a contingency plan should Iraqi voters derail the agreement in a July referendum.

The brief says the Obama administration also should work to restore the U.S. image through vigilant counter-terrorism efforts in a united and independent Iraq, while at the same time containing the influence of Iran in the region.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government should make preparations to intervene militarily should violence erupt once again, while helping Iraq prepare for provincial elections and ensuring political reconciliation.