Partial Progress Towards Progress Towards Progress

The Government Accountability Office report was released today, and it quickly became evident where the White House pressured for change from the original version leaked to the Washington Post.

In last week's Washington Post story, it was reported that the GAO study would say that Iraqis have failed to meet 15 of 18 benchmarks. In today's report, the GAO sticks with only three benchmarks met, but now has a new grade for benchmarks: "Partially met."

I want to make clear, I think the GAO report is a strong and sobering look at Iraq, and far more truthful than what the White House has been shoveling to the American people for years. But, I have to question what this "partial" grade is.

For instance, one benchmark is "Allocating and spending $10 billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects, including delivery of essential services, on an equitable basis." Originally marked as unmet, it's now marked as "partially met," because, "Funds allocated, but unlikely to be fully spent."

Huh?

Sooooo, wouldn't that mean the benchmark is not met? Call me crazy, but sounds like you either meet benchmarks or don't, and this is one that's not been met.

So, let's be clear here. As the Washington Post originally reported, only three benchmarks have been met. Fifteen have not. That Iraqis are so far flunking here is just more evidence that the surge has not worked, and that there is no military solution to this problem. Troops can't make Iraqis allocate and spend $10 billion, or any of the other things listed in the benchmarks. As we've said since the start of VoteVets.org, troops can't bring the parties together to solve these internal Iraqi problems that are keeping the country from reconciliation.

Only diplomats can do that. Only those who understand Iraqi politics can help bring the parties together. And only the Iraqis can settle their own affairs, and so far, they haven't stepped up to do so, while our troops toil in the crosshairs of RPGs and AK's. No amount of cockamamie "partially met" grades will change that.

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Comments

[bobtr900]

Cowboy mentality = cowboy government = cowboy non-diplomacy
And the right wing religious enablers of Bushco just love it all.

[WaterCruiser]

John, I watched you debate on Hardball yesterday and the guy was trying to convince everyone that Bush is really a good guy that cares and he's just misunderstood, he wasn't really thinking about how to get rich after the White house.

At one point he said you couldn't possibly know how much Bush cares because you've never talked to him.

I was screaming at the TV trying to channel a comeback to you, but to no avail. I wanted you to say, "you're right I've never spoke to Bush; he only speaks to YES MEN."

Keep up the good fight John.

[Wyndespelle]

It seems to me that itis time for Congress to stop marking benches and begin marking the causes for Impeachment. Mr. Bush has committed so many Impeachable Offenses since unconstitu-tionally taking office in 2000 that I have lost count. Nancy Pelosi has a choice: Either change her mind about Impeachment or get out of the way so that the will of the People can be done now. We need to get out of Iraq ASAP and definitely before the idiot child can bomb Iran. Cut off his funding and Impeach him simultaneously. Let the Repugnicans howl about the Democraps being antiwar all they want: anti-war is pro peace and the world is ready for Peace.

[HOORGANVISOR]

If we were to use Congress's benchmarks to determine success or failure and whether we should continue to support anything, would that mean public schools should be shut down, the war on poverty should be ended, and other programs dismantled for being failures? If a three-year old child can't read, drive a car, buy a house, or get a full-time job, do the parents kick him out of the house and tell him to try to make it on his own? That's what we're saying to Iraq after three years of having a democratically elected government. Then again, I guess Democrats don't support democracy in Iraq. If we still have troops in Germany and Japan and the war has been over for 62 years, what is the rush to remove our
troops from Iraq? We did what the UN wanted us to do in 1991 and failed the people of Iraq we wanted to have overthrow Saddam. We don't dare fail them now.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Bush will be happy with a "partial incomplete­."

But even that presumes we're heading in the right direction, which is most debatable.

[steeler]

YOu let Ron Christie filibuster you yesterday.
He stole more air-time by 10-1.
You cannot let him get away with this and grab that much air-time.
Ron Christie and Ed Rogers, two of Tweety's wingnuts are notorious for getting more air-time than their opponents.
Do Not be polite to these guys, they will eat your lunch and you'll be lucky to get in 15 seconds. Please to not let Ron Christie bully you or fillibuster you from now on.
I was SCREAMING AT MY TV SET FOR TWEETY TO CUT HIM OFF, BUT HE DIDN'T... AND YOU GOT THE SHORT END OF THE DEAL.

[HartlessBeest]

Just shortly after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a friend of mine predicted that the consequences of this would be nothing short of becoming a catastrophy and stated that “Bush is determined to lead us right through the GATES OF HELL”. I can at least say this is one thing he did accomplish.

Let’s face it, in addition to the sacrificing of U.S. soldiers and innocent Iraqis, the American taxpayers will be footing the bill for this shameful CHENEY/BUSH DEBACLE.

[6speed8]

Spin is about the only thing this administration does well. If ya got it, flaunt it baby. Orwell is grinning in his grave as to how correct he was.

[HartlessBeest]

Just shortly after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a friend of mine predicted that the consequences of this would be nothing short of becoming a catastrophy and stated that “Bush is determined to lead us right through the GATES OF HELL”. I can at least say this is one thing he did accomplish.

Let’s face it, in addition to the sacrificing of U.S. soldiers and innocent Iraqis, the American taxpayers will be footing the bill for the CHENEY/BUSH DEBACLE.

[nancytheragingliberal]

He is, by far, the worst of the worst. There he goes again with his props and he thinks the American people are stupid. He beats up on the military every chance he gets, then stands there smiling like a ghoul from hell. This man has no soul, just like the rest of his family. Disgusting.

[stlrfan]

Insert, Spin, Repeat
Insert, Spin, Repeat
The Surge needs a little more time.
The surge needs a little more time.

[Charles TW]

Let me bring my Iraqi score cards up to date. They are a mess. I see that we insisted upon eighteen benchmarks being met before we take another step into this quagmire. They've met only three. But the President wants to appropriate fifty billion dollars to pump oil in Iraq and to provide electrical services.
But wait! What's that vulture doing hovering over that fifty billion dollars? Anybody ever hear of a species of vulture called a Halliburton? I scribbled in that the species was indigenous to the USA, but pulled up stakes to move to a place called Dubai. Wouldn't that make it a foreign vulture?
So, now I think I've got my score cards in order. The President wants to spend fifty billion taxpayer dollars on a country that has accomplished only 1/6 of what we asked of it, most of it going to a corporation that flew the coup to avoid inquiries into its activities and to limit its accountability to the American tax payers.
That's what's missing on my score card! What's in it for the American taxpayers? How are our interests protected? Where is the reasonable possibility of a return on our investment. Darn it! I have not a single entry indicating that this is an investment at all. In fact, if my score cards are correct, the American taxpayer has not a single dime invested in the operations in Iraq. If we are successful, we get only the warm and fuzzy feeling from having launched another democracy in the Middle East. Halliburton gets fatter. Iraq will receive proceeds for the oil drilled from its fields. But it is the American taxpayer who, once again, is about to be shafted.
Stupid score cards. What do they know?
www.charlestwilliams.com

[splashy]

Well said. Bush and Cheney and their cohorts are stalling, stalling, stalling to keep the scam going and rake in more money on the blood of our soldiers and innocents. They want to pass it on to the next administration in a way to keep it going long after they are out, so they can continue to rake in the money.

It's a con game, pure and simple. Has been from the beginning.

[irishmail42]

When I was a kid we would string words together that could mean the same thing. "Partial Progress Towards Progress Towards Progress" reminds me of "beginning to get ready to commence to get started" to get out of Iraq. Will that day ever come?

[lgillooly]

Our blogs are important,but we need to act. Call our Reps,march in D.C. do all we can to awaken the public before we start another War. Many insiders are saying that we are going to War with Iran. I believe I mpeachment proceedings is the only way to stop that from happening.

[rockymountainhigh]

Question..­..what should we do about Iran? You all whine and cry that we might bomb them, yet you don't have a viable alternative on how to deal with a country that sponsors terrorism, contributes to the instability in Iraq, and is directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of our soldiers.

I am by no means advocating bombing Iran, and would like to see a different course of action taken, but sometimes you have to say enough is enough. We could all sit around and debate about it at the UN, which is what Iran wants. Once they take that final step, there is no going back. We need to stop them by any means necessary from obtaining the ability to produce an atomic weapon. If their nuke program was strictly for electrical generation, then why all the secrecy? Why did they not open up all of their doors to the IAEA? Why did they not take Russia up on their offer to process the spent fuel for them, thus entirely taking away most if not all of the ability for them to divert nuclear materials to bomb making purposes?

One thing people here seem to forget is that people like Irans president only respond to force. If you go our current route, they will continue to lie, manipulate, stall for time, and do whatever it takes to draw this out as long as possible. I hope we go the hard, enforced sanctions route(with no oil for food like fiasco undermining them), along with trying to get a peacful revolution resulting in regime change there. A secular Iran, with it's penchant for things western has the potential to be a great ally. It is the leadership of that country that is putting their people in this potentially deadly situation. They know what they have to do to avoid being sanctioned and possibly bombed, yet they choose not to. If they continue to go down the path which they are currently travelling, then we take the next steps.....­one of which includes military action.