Posted on 09/04/2007 10:45:32 AM PDT by Maceman
WASHINGTON - Baghdad has not met 11 of its 18 political and security goals, according to a new independent report on Iraq that challenges President Bush's assessment on the war, The Associated Press has learned.
The study, conducted by the Government Accountability Office, was slightly more upbeat than initially planned. After receiving substantial pushback from the White House, the GAO determined that four benchmarks — instead of two — had been partially met.
But GAO stuck with its original contention that only three goals out of the 18 had been achieved. The goals met include establishing joint security stations in Baghdad, ensuring minority rights in the Iraqi legislature and creating support committees for the Baghdad security plan.
"Overall key legislation has not been passed, violence remains high, and it is unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend $10 billion in reconstruction funds," said U.S. Comptroller David Walker in prepared remarks for a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
The report was to be released at the hearing. An advanced copy of the 100-page report and Walker's testimony was obtained by The Associated Press.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
When the final report comes out from Petraes, there is no doubt it’s not going to be favorable for the Iraqi government. I want to know how the Iraqi government will be held accountable for their failures instead of this “indefinite” stay Bush seems to have no problem doing.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
The study, conducted by the Government Accountability Office, was slightly more upbeat than initially planned.
After receiving substantial pushback from the White House, the GAO determined that four benchmarks — instead of two — had been partially met.
But GAO stuck with its original contention that only three goals out of the 18 had been achieved
Okay, I just woke up and hadn't had any coffee yet, but WTH is this? The article is a jumbled mess and never uses the same numbers twice. Also why is the report "more upbeat than initially planned"? The report's tone or findings were PLANNED?
Under the circumstances, I'd say the Iraqis have done well.
Of course, I'm comparing their leadership to our Congressional Leaders where our confidence in them is at at all time high...whoops, I mean low!!
Nice, that’s funny
I dont know but the Surge is working like the prez predicted
--------------------------------------------------------------------- "While there have been fewer attacks against U.S. forces," it notes, Iraq still suffers from"a glaring lack of midnight basketball facilities for the insurgent youths, as well as an acceptable plastic recycling program." It also finds that sex education in kindergartens with free condom handouts is lagging behind, while gender bias against female suicide bombers remains unchanged. 
Hakim obtained a lucrative truck bomb-building contract by claiming that his son Abdul (left) was a Puerto Rican. The GAO draft concludes that two benchmarks - the outreach program to the transgendered community and the nationalization of camel-herding industry - have been"partially met." Little of the allocated money, however, has been spent on pork. While the goal to unionize Farmers Markets has been achieved, the others, including the needle exchange program and the conversion of all government vehicles to hydrogen fuel-cell technology have failed. "Prospects for enacting these benchmarks have been complicated by the withdrawal of many Iraqi Cabinet members who refused to sign a constitutional amendment giving full human rights to animals," the report says. This boycott ends any claim by the Shiite-dominated coalition to be a government of change for social progress and multicultural awareness.
Weren’t these benchmarks put in place by Congress and not the president? Are we to expect an infant government, an infant representative government no less, to be able to reach the lofty goal of the Congress when every democracy on earth took years and years to accomplish true independence?
Hmm. That means they’ve met 7 of the benchmarks. With more to come.
This report - and I use the term lightly - means that there is progress in Iraq because 7 of the benchmarks have been met.
Well, there was that nasty business with them in 1812.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Wasn’t the 110th Congress, “led” by Nancy Pelosi, supposed to accomplish a laundry list of legislation in the first hundred hours of the session, and instantly clean up Congress? I think they’ve achieved zero of their own benchmarks.
You are spot on! The Iraqi Government has passed more than 60 pieces of legislation and have accomplished more in the past 8 months than our own congress.
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