Backchannel

I had suspected that this was part of James Baker's role. Because of his "outside the government" position, Baker is able to conduct exploratory talks without any official commitment or recognition.

James A. Baker III, the former secretary of state who is now Republican co-chairman of a bipartisan group examining strategic options in Iraq, has met several times with Syrian officials to discuss how they might cooperate with the United States, the Syrian ambassador here said Friday.....

"An outside adviser to the group, speaking on condition of anonymity, said in an interview this week that the panel had also interviewed the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, Javad Zarif."

After all, his experience is as Sec. State, not as military planner.