GAO: Iraq hasn't met 11 of 18 benchmarks

[robertpaulsen]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Violence in Iraq remains high, fewer Iraqi security forces are capable of acting independently, and the Baghdad legislature has failed to reach major political agreements needed to curb sectarian violence, says a report released Tuesday.

The study by the Government Accountability Office is a blunt assessment that challenges President Bush's findings on the war as he prepares to announce plans for the U.S. military campaign, which has cost the lives of more than 3,700 U.S. troops since it began in 2003.

Earlier this week, Bush said some U.S. forces could be sent home if security across Iraq improves as it has in Anbar province, a former hotbed of Sunni insurgency.

The White House dismissed GAO's findings as a static view of progress in Iraq, despite its successful efforts to temper some of the more minor findings in the report. After receiving substantial resistance from the White House, the GAO determined that Iraq has partially met four out of 18 political and security goals — two more than identified in an earlier draft report.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=A0WTcUH6pN1GM2kBbQas0NUE

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Wait a moment, hang on

I thought the Junta was adamant in its refusal to even consider benchmarks for the war in Iraq. When did this change?

[Spazito]

2. Actually, they have failed to meet 15 of the 18 benchmarks

and the media phrasing it differently is lying, as usual. One has to fulfill the criteria established in order to "meet" benchmarks. Only three benchmarks' criteria were met, the rest failed:




GAO report found here:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/gao-report/?resultpage=2&

[IsItJustMe]

3. And our Corp. press will tell us, "just remember folks, 7 out of 18 aint bad".

[Supersedeas]

4. the Comptroller handled himself for well this morning on CSPAN