AUGUSTA – Members of Maine’s congressional delegation agree that the current strategy in Iraq has failed, but are waiting to make a judgment on the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group.

The group’s report, which is to be delivered next week, was previewed in published reports Thursday. The plan is said to call for a gradual pullback of combat troops in Iraq but lacks a timeline or specifics for redeployment.

The New York Times and Washington Post reported Thursday that the commission would urge a major withdrawal of U.S. combat forces.

The Times, citing unidentified people familiar with the report, said the panel would recommend a gradual pullback of the 15 U.S. combat brigades but would not state whether those forces should be pulled back to isolated bases in Iraq or to neighboring countries. Such brigades usually number 3,000 to 5,000 troops.

“Iraq is in crisis,” said Sen. Susan Collins. “Escalating sectarian violence has cost the lives of our troops and thousands of Iraqis and jeopardizes the very existence of the nation. The current strategy in Iraq has failed to achieve the goal of a peaceful and stable democracy.”

Sen. Olympia Snowe, like Collins, a Republican, agreed.

“There is no question that staying the course is neither an option nor a plan, and that the patience of the Congress and the American people is finite and our presence there is neither unlimited nor unconditional,” Snowe said.

But neither was willing to endorse – or reject – recommendations from the study group before seeing the report.

Snowe, a member of the Intelligence Committee, called the members of the group “eminently qualified experts” who have spent a great deal of time and energy evaluating the Bush strategy in Iraq and their findings should serve the best interest of the nation as we work to identify the best path forward.

Collins, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee and is a member of the Armed Services Committee, outlined what she wants in the report.

“My hope is that their report will outline a more effective military, political and diplomatic strategy for Iraq that will be carefully considered by the administration, our military leaders and Congress.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, a Democrat from Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, said it’s crucial for the United States to re-engage Iraq’s neighbors and pursue aggressive diplomatic efforts in the region. He also backed – at least generally – the idea of redeploying U.S. forces in Iraq.

“As conditions on the ground in Iraq continue to grow worse, it is clear that time is of the essence and that more of the same approach won’t improve the situation,” Michaud said. “As I’ve been saying for months, we must change direction in Iraq. We must begin to strategically redeploy our troops, and we must empower the Iraqi people to take full responsibility for their country’s future. This will not happen until we are no longer the dominant security force in the country.”

U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, a Democrat representing the 1st Congressional District, could not be reached Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.