Advance Copy: GAO Report Paints Dire Picture Of Situation In Iraq

[jefferson_dem]

Advance Copy: GAO Report Paints Dire Picture Of Situation In Iraq
By Greg Sargent - September 4, 2007, 1:21PM
Okay, here you go -- we've just obtained a copy of the hotly-anticipated Government Accountability Office report painting an extremely dire picture of the political situation in Iraq.

The report is meant to be released today to the press at 2 P.M., but you can read excerpts of it right now. We've just posted the report's summary of its conclusions, including a chart indicating the report's findings, in our TPM Document Collection. You can read it right here.

The report found that the Iraqi government has fully met only three of 18 benchmarks for political progress set for it, has only partially met four others, and failed to meet 11 -- an extremely grim picture of the situation there. The report is significant because it was produced by the nonpartisan GAO and provides a considerably more pessimistic view of the situation in Iraq than General Petraeus and the White House are expected to provide next week.

The Washington Post reported on the findings contained in a draft of the GAO report last week but didn't post a copy. What you're now reading is the final copy, and it came to slightly different conclusions than the draft reviewed by the Post.

The final report finds that the Iraqi government has met one of eight legislative benchmarks and two of nine security benchmarks. A chart from the report laying out what has been met and what hasn't is right here.

Read the report's summary here. (http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/gao-report/)More soon.

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/09/advance_copy_gao_report_paints_dire_picture_of_situation_in_iraq.php

[Spazito]

1. Thanks for posting this, the page with the 18 benchmarks and...

their rating is very helpful, page 2 I believe.