Next: The Commission to Investigate Look-Alike Commissions

When faced with a seemingly intractable problem, we often dust off a timed-honored solution: look to a commission of those perceived to be wise, thoughtful and above the political fray. Given such qualifications, the same names tend to pop up on both public and private commissions, and the Iraq Study Group is no exception. Below are the members of the Iraq Study Group and selections from their resumes.

-- SWATI PANDEY

James A. Baker III

Former secretary of State

Party: Republican

Previous commissions: Commission on Federal Election Reform

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Lee H. Hamilton

Former congressman from Indiana

Party: Democrat

Previous commissions: Commission to Investigate Certain Security Issues at Los Alamos; National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 commission); U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century (Hart-Rudman commission); Commission on Federal Election Reform

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Lawrence S. Eagleburger

Former secretary of State

Party: Republican

Previous commissions: International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims

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Vernon E. Jordan Jr.

Former advisor to President Clinton

Party: Democrat

Previous commissions: President’s Advisory Committee for the Points of Light Initiative Foundation; Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on South Africa; Advisory Council on Social Security; American Revolution Bicentennial Commission; National Advisory Committee on Selective Service

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Edwin M. Meese III

Former attorney general

Party: Republican

Previous commissions: Child Safety Partnership; Military Manpower Task Force

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Sandra Day O’Connor

Former Supreme Court justice

Party: Republican

Previous commissions: American Bar Assn. Commission on Civic Education and Separation of Powers

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Leon E. Panetta

Former White House chief of staff

Party: Democrat

Previous commissions: Pew Oceans Commission; President’s Commission on Foreign Languages and International Studies

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William J. Perry

Former secretary of Defense

Party: Democrat

Previous commissions: U.S.-Russian Joint Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation; President’s Commission on Strategic Forces (Scowcroft commission); President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management (Packard commission)

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Charles S. Robb

Former governor of Virginia

Party: Democrat

Previous commissions: President’s Commission on Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction; Committee on Federalism and National Purpose

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Alan K. Simpson

Former senator from Wyoming

Party: Republican

Previous commissions: Continuity of Government Commission; Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy