Washington, March 15, SPA -- Ten prominent Americans, including former Secretary of State James Baker, are forming a bipartisan group to assess U.S. policies in Iraq and suggest the way forward for political and economic development in the country. The study was requested by Congress and will be announced Wednesday on Capitol Hill by Baker and Lee Hamilton, director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a former vice chairman of the September 11 commission Congress appears increasingly concerned by the rising human and financial cost of the U.S. presence in Iraq, with members across the political spectrum raising concerns about the future of the conflict. Five Republicans and five Democrats, including former director of the Central Intelligence Agency Robert Gates, will serve on the group. Former Senator Charles Robb (Democrat from Virginia) will also be a member. The congressionally-financed United States Institute of Peace and three private think tanks will also work on the study. Four working groups will be assigned to measure the strategic situation in Iraq, formation of a government in Baghdad, political development and the Iraqi economy. Outside experts will be consulted and the working groups are planning to make several trips to Iraq, Reuters reported.--SPA 13 56 Local Time 10 56 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/345653