Iraq's Benchmarks - Who's Moving the goalposts now?

Weekly Standard ^ | 04/03/2008 12:00:00 AM | Frederick W. Kagan

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

S THE REDUCTION IN violence in Iraq has become incontestable (the insistence of early critics that no such reduction was possible notwithstanding), war opponents have fallen back on their next line of defense--that the military progress has not been matched by the political progress it was supposed to enable. This talking point, however, is also outdated and invalid. The Bush administration, commanders and ambassadors in the field, and supporters of the effort to win in Iraq have long pointed to evidence of grassroots reconciliation and political progress. This evidence is growing and the importance of these developments is becoming increasingly apparent. But critics have long dismissed these developments on the grounds that they meant nothing if the central government did not meet the key benchmarks established in 2007 as the basis for continued American support. For most of 2007, such critics at least had some facts on their side--the Iraqi Government quickly moved to achieve most of the security-related benchmarks, but key legislative benchmarks remained stalled. The facts no longer support this argument, however. As a recent study by the U.S. Institute of Peace noted, "It may be that February 13, 2008 will be remembered as the day when Iraq's political climate began to catch up with its improved security situation--or, more to the point, when Iraqi leaders discovered the key to political compromise and reconciliation."

As the tally below shows, ( see the second page) the Government of Iraq has now met 12 out of the original 18 benchmarks set for it, including four out of the six key legislative benchmarks.
It has made substantial progress on five more, and only one remains truly stalled.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[Straight Vermonter]

I posted a little more than a month ago about Iraq’s achievement of an oil revenue sharing deal. The thread got exactly zero responses. That was, however, one of the most significant events in post war Iraq.

We’d all like to see then go faster but they are restrained by the democratic process. Not all together a bad problem.

[geo40xyz]

Stand back, please:-()

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

It is always interesting to see what threads get responded to....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I like that!

[Marine_Uncle]

I support your statements 100%. Sorry I missed your post response as well, but was aware during that time frame about the oil revenue sharing taking place. So many positive moves are slowly taking hold within their central government, and least we not forget, most probably in most of the provincial governments.
Iraq is truly on the mend and the time clock will eventually run out for the L/MSM's mission to keep things under the lid.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I must check and see what Reid and Pelosi are saying today....they seem to be quieter on the War issues.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well we have this:

Pelosi warns Petraeus on Iraq testimony

**************************EXCERPT*******************

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) warned Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Thursday “not to put a shine on recent events” in Iraq when they testify before Congress next week.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for both, Ernest.

Al-Maliki vows crackdown in Baghdad
AP on Yahoo | 4/3/08 | Qassim Abdul-Zahra - ap
Posted on 04/03/2008 2:21:44 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1996213/posts

[SuziQ]

The Dems will never be satisfied, unless a Dem happens to win the White House, then the next week, all we'll hear in the news is how the new President brought peace to Iraq, after 5 years of George W. Bush's bungling.

Let's just make sure the Dems DON'T get the White House.

[Marine_Uncle]

Pelosi and her goons squads must be getting very nervous over the upcoming report by the P and C.