New Iraq report: 15 of 18 benchmarks satisfactory

[Terri]

By ANNE FLAHERTY
Associated Press
July 2, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- No matter who is elected president in November, his foreign policy team will have to deal with one of the most frustrating realities in Iraq: the slow pace with which the government in Baghdad operates.

Iraq's political and military success is considered vital to U.S. interests, whether troops stay or go. And while the Iraqi government has made measurable progress in recent months, the pace at which it's done so has been achingly slow.

The White House sees the progress in a particularly positive light, declaring in a new assessment to Congress that Iraq's efforts on 15 of 18 benchmarks are "satisfactory" -- almost twice of what it determined to be the case a year ago. The May 2008 report card, obtained by the Associated Press, determines that only two of the benchmarks -- enacting and implementing laws to disarm militias and distribute oil revenues -- are unsatisfactory.

More

[Amawalk John]

....enacting and implementing laws to disarm militias and distribute oil revenues -- are unsatisfactory.

Excuuuuuuuuse me. But notwithstanding there are no new "laws" regarding militias and oil, the Iraqi Army has been kicking Shi'ite Sheikh Muqtada Sadr's Iran-financed militia's .... er ..... troops decisively in Basra, in Sadr City, and elsewhere, and the oil revenues are being distributed.

I'd say the Iraqi government has done a far better job over the last couple of years than has our own Congress or, for that matter, the snarky and biased Associated Press. And the Iraqi government has done so in a war zone, with people shooting at them and throwing bombs all the while.


Jeesh!

[studebaker51]

No matter who is elected president in November, his foreign policy team will have to deal with one of the most frustrating realities in Iraq: the slow pace with which the government in Baghdad operates.

And our government moves with any speed at all (except when voting themselves raises)?

I don't know if a cattle prod could make politicians move quicker....although I'd like to try it sometime.;-)

[STEELMAN]

15 outta 18 ain't bad. Slow but sure might not be too good in they view of some but at least it's getting there.

[MrJLDoug]

Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., who requested the administration's updated assessment, scoffed at the May report, which he says uses the false standard of determining whether progress on a goal is "satisfactory" . He estimates that only a few of the 18 benchmarks have been fully achieved

Our great Dummycrat Congress is really qualified to "Estimate" the progress of a newly developing sovereign democracy. We didn't exactly excel like a bolt of lightning in forming our country.Hell, even after 232 years our idiotic Congress can't meet any benchmarks.

enacting and implementing laws to disarm militias and distribute oil revenues -- are unsatisfactory.

As AJ pointed out about the butt whipping of
the militia, it is never mentioned in Liberal circles.
As for the Oil revenues, Wasn't it just this week
the Liberals were screaming about oil contracts.
It's plain to see they are not worried about dividing the revenues between the Iraqis but are afraid they will not feed at the trough.