Although the panel's work is not complete, its recommendations are expected to be built around a four-point "victory strategy" developed by Pentagon officials advising the group. The strategy, along with other related proposals, is being circulated in draft form and has been discussed in separate closed sessions with Mr Baker and the vice-president Dick Cheney, an Iraq war hawk.

Point one of the strategy calls for an increase rather than a decrease in overall US force levels inside Iraq, possibly by as many as 20,000 soldiers. This figure is far fewer than that called for by the Republican presidential hopeful, John McCain. But by raising troop levels, Mr Bush will draw a line in the sand and defy Democratic pressure for a swift drawdown.

The reinforcements will be used to secure Baghdad, scene of the worst sectarian and insurgent violence, and enable redeployments of US, coalition and Iraqi forces elsewhere in the country.

Point two of the plan stresses the importance of regional cooperation to the successful rehabilitation of Iraq. This could involve the convening of an international conference of neighbouring countries or more direct diplomatic, financial and economic involvement of US allies such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

"The extent to which that [regional cooperation] will include talking to Iran and Syria is still up for debate," said Patrick Cronin, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "Externally, US policy is focused on what is achievable. Some quarters believe Syria in some ways could be helpful. There are more doubts about Iran but Iran holds more cards. Some think it's worth a try."

Yesterday, a top state department official, David Satterfield, said America was prepared in principle to discuss with Iran its activities in Iraq.

Point three focuses on reviving the national reconciliation process between Shia, Sunni and other ethnic and religious parties. According to the sources, creating a credible political framework will be portrayed as crucial in persuading Iraqis and neighbouring countries alike that Iraq can become a fully functional state.

To the certain dismay of US neo-cons, initial post-invasion ideas about imposing fully-fledged western democratic standards will be set aside. And the report is expected to warn that de facto tripartite partition within a loose federal system, as advocated by Democratic senator Joe Biden and others would lead not to peaceful power-sharing but a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

Lastly, the sources said the study group recommendations will include a call for increased resources to be allocated by Congress to support additional troop deployments and fund the training and equipment of expanded Iraqi army and police forces. It will also stress the need to counter corruption, improve local government and curtail the power of religious courts.

"You've got to remember, whatever the Democrats say, it's Bush still calling the shots. He believes it's a matter of political will. That's what [Henry] Kissinger told him. And he's going to stick with it," a former senior administration official said. "He [Bush] is in a state of denial about Iraq. Nobody else is any more. But he is. But he knows he's got less than a year, maybe six months, to make it work. If it fails, I expect the withdrawal process to begin next fall."

The "last push" strategy is also intended to give Mr Bush and the Republicans "political time and space" to recover from their election drubbing and prepare for the 2008 presidential campaign, the official said. "The Iraq Study Group buys time for the president to have one last go. If the Democrats are smart, they'll play along, and I think they will. But forget about bipartisanship. It's all about who's going to be in best shape to win the White House.

The official added: "Bush has said 'no' to withdrawal, so what else do you have? The Baker report will be a set of ideas, more realistic than in the past, that can be used as political tools. What they're going to say is: lower the goals, forget about the democracy crap, put more resources in, do it."

Addressing Congress yesterday, General John Abizaid, the top US commander in the Middle East, warned against setting a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, saying it would impede commanders in managing US and Iraqi forces. Gen Abizaid spoke as the Senate armed services committee began re-examining US policy after last week's Democratic election victory. But Gen Abizaid argued against extra troops, saying US divisional commanders believed more pressure needed to be put on the Iraqi army to do its part.

Four-point strategy

- Increase US troop levels by up to 20,000 to secure Baghdad and allow redeployments elsewhere in Iraq

- Focus on regional cooperation with international conference and/or direct diplomatic involvement of countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia

- Revive reconciliation process between Sunni, Shia and others

- Increased resources from Congress to fund training and equipment of Iraqi security forces

The U.S. general's testimony followed a contentious two-hour session before the Senate armed services committee, where frustrated lawmakers pressed Abizaid for evidence of progress in Iraq.

"The American people do not want our troops caught in a crossfire between Iraqis if they insist on squandering that opportunity through civil war and sectarian strife," said Democratic Senator Carl Levin, the committee's incoming chairman.

Abizaid, who expressed hope last January that U.S. forces could be reduced to 100,000 from 140,000 by the end of 2006, told lawmakers his optimism was misplaced.

The sectarian bloodletting and insurgent attacks remain "unacceptably high," he said, particularly in Baghdad and Sunni-dominated areas such as Al Anbar province.

"I would not say we've turned the corner," said Abizaid, who heads U.S. Central Command.

Asked by Democratic Senator Jack Reed to estimate how much time the U.S. has to curb the violence in Iraq before it becomes uncontrollable, Abizaid said: "Four to six months."

But the key to stabilizing Iraq is not to experiment with increased or decreased numbers of American troops, Abizaid insisted.

Instead, the U.S. must continue to focus on accelerating the training of Iraqi military forces and giving them the lead role within 12 months, he said.
"I believe more American forces prevent the Iraqis from doing more, taking more responsibility for their future," he said.

At the same time, Abizaid said he "would not recommend troop withdrawals" because that would embolden warring sects and al-Qaida operatives and signal a lack of U.S. resolve.

Abizaid's recommendation is at odds both with Democrats and Republicans. Democratic leaders have called for a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces beginning within four months, while Republican Senator John McCain favours sending an additional 20,000 troops to confront Iraq's illegal militias.

During a testy exchange with Abizaid, McCain accused the general of promoting a failed military plan that ignores the reality in Iraq. Current troop levels have failed to prevent increases in attacks against Americans, Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians, McCain said.

"Was it encouraging when in the broad daylight (Tuesday) or the day before that people dressed up in police uniforms are able to come in and kidnap 150 people? General, it's not encouraging to us," McCain said.

"I regret deeply that you seem to think that the status quo and the rate of progress we're making is acceptable. I think most Americans do not."

Jodka III is one of seven marines and a navy corpsman accused of kidnapping and murdering Awad, a retired Iraqi policemen, in April this year. The crippled man was picked up, taken to a roadside hole and shot dead. The soldiers later conspired to cover up the incident.

The 20-year-old soldier, the youngest and lowest ranking member of the squad, had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice, while charges of murder and kidnapping were dropped. As part of his plea deal, he has agreed to give evidence against the other defendants in the case.

"I decided to plead guilty because in the end it was the right thing to do," Jodka III told the court at Camp Pendleton. "I had to weigh in myself the need for truth as opposed to the loyalty to the squad I had bonded with in Iraq."

Jodka told the court he thought the man was an insurgent and, because it was dark at the time of the attack, he wasn't able to tell who the man was at the time.

Asked by his civilian attorney, Jane Siegel, if he would have fired had he known the man was not, Jodka replied: "Absolutely not."

He is first marine in the case to get a plea deal. The navy corpsman and two other marines also have made plea agreements. The corpsman, Petty Officer Melson Bacos, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but will only serve one because of his agreement.

Jodka's sentence comes a day after a US soldier pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the killing of three of her family members in a village near Baghdad in March this year.

Specialist James Barker is one of four soldiers charged over the incident, which is considered one of the most brutal examples of attacks on civilians in Iraq. He is expected to be sentenced to life in prison after striking a deal to escape the death penalty.

The murders took place on March 12 in Mahmoudiya, 20 miles south of Baghdad. Prosecutors allege that five soldiers stationed at a checkpoint there raped the girl, Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, then burned her body to hide the evidence, and killed her father, mother and six-year-old sister.

The alleged ringleader, Private Steven Green, was discharged from the army in May for a "personality disorder" before the crime came to light. He is being tried as a civilian in a federal court in Kentucky, and has pleaded not guilty to charges including murder and sexual assault.

The other defendants are still serving in the 101st Airborne Division and are being tried by court martial.

Specialist Barker has told investigators that the soldiers had drunk whiskey and played cards while plotting the attack on the family, and that he, Pte Green and another soldier, Sergeant Paul Cortez, had taken turns in raping the girl. He said Pte Green had shot her and her family.

In an earlier hearing yesterday, the army arraigned Sgt Cortez on charges in the rape and murder of the teenager and the killing of her family. Sgt Cortez deferred entering a plea and a trial date was not set.

The killings have been the most inflammatory of a series of war crimes that have tarnished the reputation of US and British forces. An insurgent group, the Islamic Army in Iraq, claimed to have built a rocket with a range of 12 miles, and named it Abeer after the victim.

The dead girl's uncle, Ahmad Qassim, told the Guardian last month that he had little faith in the US justice system. "They should hand the criminals to us ... they should be tried in Iraq and executed here," he said. Adnan Janabi, a local leader, said: "A murder can be solved in a local council by money, but rape can only be solved by killing the perpetrator."

The authorities believed the family were killed by insurgents until a member of the unit involved came forward.

Pte Green's involvement has raised questions about the army's recruiting procedures in an unpopular war that has killed nearly 3,000 Americans. He entered the army soon after being arrested for underage drinking and had a record of alcohol and drug abuse.

To make up for a recruitment shortfall, the army has begun accepting a higher number of "category four" candidates who score low on a military aptitude test.

The charges

Specialist James Barker
Charged with rape and murder. Pleaded guilty to avoid death penalty.

Sergeant Paul Cortez
Charged with rape and murder. Deferred entering a plea; trial date yet to be set. Could face death penalty.

Private Jesse Spielman
Charged with rape and murder. To be arraigned in December. Could face death penalty.

Private Bryan Howard
Charged with rape and murder. Yet to enter a plea. Unclear if death penalty will apply.

Former private Steven Green
Charged in a civilian court with murder and sexual assault. Pleaded not guilty. Discharged from army before charges. Unclear if death penalty will apply.

"She had come through a lot and she had always risen to challenges," her husband, Frantz Michel, who has also served in Iraq, lamented last week. Now he asks why the Navy didn't do more to help her.

Michel's story has now been probed by reporter Kate Gurnett in today's Albany Times-Union. It's headlined, "A casualty far from the battlefield."

And yet, in many ways, not far at all.

Why did it happen? "Like thousands of others returning from Iraq, her mental state was fractured," Gurnett explains. "And it went untreated. Within two weeks, Linda Michel would become a private casualty of war. Re-entry into the world of peace can be harder than deployment, experts say. Picking up where you left off doesn't just happen. ...

"Women experience stronger forms of post-traumatic stress disorder and have higher PTSD rates, experts say. In response, the Veterans Affairs Department launched a $6 million study of female veterans.
Seeking treatment -- seen by some as a weakness -- may be even tougher for women, who still feel the need to prove themselves to men in military service."

In fact, this past August, three veterans in New York's Adirondack region committed suicide within three weeks, according to Helena Davis, deputy director of the Mental Health Association in New York.

Michel has served under extremely stressful conditions at Camp Bucca in southern Iraq, a U.S-run prison where guards shot four inmates dead in a 2005 riot -- and an episode of female mudwrestling drew headlines. Michel was treated for depression and prescribed Paxil, but they took her off that medicine when she returned home. Her husband was not informed.

"I just wish the Navy would have done some more follow-up, instead of just letting her come home," Frantz, who is on the division staff of the Army National Guard, told the reporter. "If somebody needs Paxil in a combat zone, then that's not the place for them to be. You either send them to a hospital or you send them home and then make sure that the family members know and that they get follow-up care."

He has pressed the Navy for answers: "Why wasn't she sent to a facility to resolve the issues? Not keep her in Iraq and give her some antidepressant medication and then just send her home. So those are the answers that I don't have. Which makes me a little angry because I know what is supposed to occur."

The Times Union carried another lengthy story on Sunday, by Dennis Yusko, on post-traumatic stress syndome (PTSD) and Iraq veterans. "The number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans getting treatment for PTSD at VA hospitals and counseling centers increased 87 percent from September 2005 to June 2006 -- to 38,144, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs," Yusko revealed.

"At least 30 percent of those who fought in Iraq or Afghanistan are now diagnosed with PTSD, up from 16 percent to 18 percent in 2004, said Charlie Kennedy, PTSD program director and lead psychologist at the Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Of the 400 Capital Region vets in the program, 81 served in Iraq or Afghanistan, Kennedy said, and that number is growing. 'This kind of warfare is devastating,' Kennedy said. 'You don't know who is your friend and who is your enemy.'"

"They tell you "you are from Al Qaed"' and when you say "no" they give the (electric) current to your feet.... As you keep saying 'no' this goes on for two or three hours," he said, adding he had several times lost consciousness.

He claimed he was once shackled to a ceiling for "four or five days".

"They take you down in the mornings when a doctor comes to see whether you can endure more," he said. "They let you sit when the interrogator comes.... They take you down about three times a day so you do not die."

Kurnaz also alleged prisoners were locked up in cells into which frigid or hot air was pumped.

"I saw several people die," he said. "Sometimes I thought I could no longer stand it and would also die."

He claimed he was once left without food for 20 days and spoke of psychological abuse, including "religious insults" such as the Quran being kicked on the ground.

A Turkish citizen with permanent residency in Germany, Kurnaz was arrested in Pakistan after the September 11, 2001 attacks and turned over to US forces, who took him to a prison in the Afghan city of Kandahar before transferring to Guantanamo.