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White House Cool on Iraq Report
The Bush administration has challenged a report for the US Congress which says Iraq has met only three of the 18 targets used to measure progress.
The Government Accountability Office findings contrast with a White House study saying eight goals have been met.
The Pentagon said the GAO portrayed the situation only in "blacks and whites" and ignored "grey" areas of progress.
The report is the first in a series of assessments over the next month of the success of the US troop surge in Iraq.
General David Petraeus, the commander of US forces in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Iraq, are due to deliver a full progress report to Congress in September, looking in particular at the effect of the surge.
'Unrealistic'
The draft GAO report, leaked to the Washington Post, questioned whether some of the earlier, more positive assessment by the White House had adequately reflected the range of views within the government.
"While the Baghdad security plan was intended to reduce sectarian violence, US agencies differ on whether such violence has been reduced," the report said, according to the Post.
"Overall, key legislation has not been passed, violence remains high, and it is unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend $10bn in reconstruction funds."
The draft report, which is being "revised" before it is delivered to Congress on Tuesday, said a further two benchmarks have been "partially met".
A Pentagon spokesman said officials had made some "factual corrections" and "offered some suggestions on a few of the actual grades".
"We have provided the GAO with information we believe will lead them to conclude that a few of the benchmark grades should be upgraded from 'not met' to 'met'," Geoff Morrell said.
"The standard the GAO has set is far more stringent. Some might argue it's impossible to meet."
White House spokesman Tony Snow also said the GAO's conclusions were unrealistic.
He said the GAO set the bar for success too high and did not assess whether progress had been made towards the benchmarks.
"The real question that people have is, 'What's going on in Iraq?' Are we making progress? Militarily, is the surge having an impact? The answer is 'Yes'," he said.
Police overhaul 'urged'
In addition, Pentagon officials also questioned some of the reported recommendations of an independent commission established by Congress to assess Iraq's security forces.
The commission has concluded that rampant sectarianism within the Iraqi police force requires that its current units "be scrapped" and reshaped into a smaller, more elite organisation, a US official has told the New York Times.
The recommendation is that "we should start over," the official said.
Headed by Gen James L Jones, the former top US commander in Europe, the 14-member panel of former or retired military officers is scheduled to present its findings next week.
The Pentagon spokesman said the US military had already begun a programme to retrain the Iraqi police.
Officials believed that they could rid the force of sectarianism without instituting a complete overhaul, he said.
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Show All"The Pentagon said the GAO portrayed the situation only in "blacks and whites" and ignored "grey" areas of progress." That's pretty ironic coming from "you're for us or against us" Bushies. A little late to discover subtly and nuance Bushies I am against you.
That is exactly what I was thinking to mrraven. The surge will keep on happening until US gets exactly what it wants. It will get what it wants by force.
Corporate rulers say we will leave Iraq in 50 years when the oil runs dry.
More sugar coated news from Iraq on the way from our favorite used war salesman. So they are editting and rewriting a report in the same way intel reports were rewritten and edited to be consistent with a foregone conclusion that we must invade Iraq? And while this is going on, congress is voting for even more money for Iraq. We may soon find ourselved spending $15 billion a month instead of the current $10 billion. And, of course, that money is being put on the national debt tab.
We are looking at the benchmarks like a grocery list. The way I read them boils down to two impasses that have not budged an inch. (1) The Sunni-Shia reconciliation has escalated into a full walk out and boycott of the new government by the Sunni Muslims. Much of this boils down to the Shia Muslims marginalizing the Sunnis in the new government and no proposals that are fair to the Sunnis in regaurd to oil revenues being shared. In short, the Shia legislators are unwilling to share power and share oil revenues. This leaves the Sunnis with only one option, insurgency. (2) The number of Iraqi army units ready to become independent a few months ago was 10. That has decreased to 6. Why? When Iraqis joined the army, they probably thought about defending their own neighborhoods. However, when Shia troops were ordered out on missions against Shia militia, that was different. That put their lives at risk in their own communities. The same is true for the Sunnis Muslims. Then Kurds were ordered to help secure Baghdad, and the units refused to leave Kurdistan. At best, we have enlisted Sunnis to become the protectors of their own neighborhoods (Surge strategy) and Shia to become the protectors of their own neighborhoods. Then we have seen the same recruits out at night forming death squads to murder members of the opposing sect.
These two items do not belong on a grocery list, as they are impasses. Within the concept of one single government, one single Iraq, we are really STUCK.
It is time to re consider partition, as we seem to be asking Iraqis to do something they have done before in their entire history, get along with each other.
Political spin is the gorilla dust the administration throws up to buy all the King's horses and all the King's men more time to put Humpty Dumpty back together.
Just a little more time now. Really. The men are having trouble, but the horses are beginning to show some signs of progress. (And man-horse violence is way down in 3 of 18 provinces.)
It is obvious the oil deal hasn't gone through yet. This administration will keep on killing people until it gets exactly what it wants. There is no doubt the administration will bankrupt this country trying to achieve it's goals.
I keep on thinking about the words the last Pope stated.
In the weeks and months before the U.S. attacked Iraq, not only the Holy Father, but also one Cardinal and Archbishop after another at the Vatican spoke out against a "preemptive" or "preventive" strike. They declared that the just war theory could not justify such a war. Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran said that such a "war of aggression" is a crime against peace. Archbishop Renato Martino, who used the same words in calling the possible military intervention a "crime against peace that cries out vengeance before God," also criticized the pressure that the most powerful nations exerted on the less powerful ones on the U.N. Security Council to support the war. The Pope spoke out almost every day against war and in support of diplomatic efforts for peace.
John Paul II sent his personal representative, Cardinal Pio Laghi, a friend of the Bush family, to remonstrate with the U.S. President before the war began. Pio Laghi said such a war would be illegal and unjust. The message was clear: God is not on your side if you invade Iraq.
After the United States began its attacks against Iraq, FOX News actually reported the immediate comments of the Holy Father, made in an address at the Vatican to members of an Italian religious television channel, Telespace: "When war, as in these days in Iraq, threatens the fate of humanity, it is ever more urgent to proclaim, with a strong and decisive voice, that only peace is the road to follow to construct a more just and united society," John Paul said. "Violence and arms can never resolve the problems of man."
http://www.cjd.org/paper/jp2war.html
And now cholera. So what if they kill off all the Iraqis and bankrupt the US. At least the rich keep on getting richer. Isn't that the point?
When Rupert and the boys down at the Ministery of Truth finish rewriting the past they will control the future. We have always been winning the war with Eurasia and George Bush has always been the front man for Big Brother - working tirelessly to keep us safe and happy. Inconvient things go down the Memory Hole.
Kathy, you know what the clincher is, the majority of people in this country does not have a clue how this has come to be, (via illegal income tax,via Federal Reserve) and even if they did know, they will not do anything about it to change it.
Deception is the best and most essential friend of the so called "leaders" in the white house and on capital hill.
The truth is their greatest enemy and our best friend.
The Federal Reserve that provides the monopoly money to kill and profit needs to be shut down.
Lie, kill, maim, profit and control.
Just like dogs when punished will not come out of their cage even if the food for their survival was right in front of them.
This country is playing some pretty heavy psychological games.
What i'm surprised about is that the "corporate rulers" haven't figured out that they will never get the Iraq and Iran oil because the People of these countries will NOT allow it. It is their land after all.
I guess these corporate rulers (and all those associated with the rules) just aren't learning.
Peace,
Ken Hausle
We are making much too much profits to end this war. It's importent to our economy,stock investers and savings to end the good killing of our own and thiers.The GOD of war will not like it at all. Heed SATAN!
The GOD of war is going down hard, and who gives a crap about some satan...
Peace,
Ken Hausle
But let me tell you something
The spirits of PEACE are MAD, or so it seems to me..
war can be rebuked...
Peace,
Ken Hausle
""The Pentagon said the GAO portrayed the situation only in "blacks and whites" and ignored "grey" areas of progress." That's pretty ironic coming from "you're for us or against us" Bushies. A little late to discover subtly and nuance Bushies I am against you"
Every Bushiite who ever talks about education belittles the idea that children should be graded on how much progress they're making, rather than on inflexible standardized tests. But when it comes to their own policies & performance, they wheeze & whine that IT'S NOT FAIR to hold them to any standard.
"I guess these corporate rulers (and all those associated with the rules) just aren't learning."
If they could learn, they wouldn't be corporate rulers.
"he spirits of PEACE are MAD"
Les dieux ont soif (the gods thirst).
"And now cholera. So what if they kill off all the Iraqis and bankrupt the US"
When the people don't submit, kill them & get a new people -- the usual capitalist plan.
Isn't the answer straightforward? We have killed about one million people, cause grief to the rest, turned this country into rubble, caused another two million to leave, and are doing our best to steal their oil and set up permanent military bases. SURPRISE! SURPRISE! they detest us and want us to leave.
Why don't we just do the right thing and leave? Why do we hide from the fact that our president set up this war based on lies? Why are the front runners for the Presidency Hillary and Guiliami who both want to prolong this war indefinately? Why do we expect our generals to tell us what to do? Generals don't like to advocate losing wars so their answers are predictable. Is the public as blind and dumb as their leaders?
As a former teacher, I hate it when students whine and grovel for improvements to grades....at least the Pentagon could offer to sleep with the GAO for an "A+"
Where did you teach canuckchuck?
Ken Hausle
Dichterfreund..I like that analogy..sort of a "No Fascist Left Behind" Program
Kathyodat, that's exactly the point. $10 Billion a month here, $10 Billion a month there, and pretty soon you're talking real money. It adds up. And where's it going? You think anyone cares at this point about oil? Well, ok sure, but that's frosting on the cake.
all i know is i'm tired of the drivel.....
"Spin" Why not call it by its true name -- LIES. Did the Chimp REALLY just say that waging war with Iraq after 9/11 was just like waging war with Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor? Exactly WHAT does he think we are? Imbeciles? Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. He knows that.
I've come to the conclusion that the Chimp doesn't care what he says. He just likes to hear himself repeat lie after lie and get away with it.
Hmm. Just another $10 billion. Conservatives freak me out. I do not get why we cannot pay for social programs (health, education, housing, etc.) and we are all bent out of shape about the hispanics, but,
another $10 billion does not even make the news. Now Princess Di being dead 10 years, THAT is news.
Anyone else think that is damn morbid? MSNBC re-played her funeral this morning. How pathetic. Families do not mourn that long.
Our mass media is sick. As usual, I turned the damn television off. I had just turned it on to see if Bush had attacked Iran yet.
How many billion will that be?
Everytime a Republican cuts another dollar from a social program, another bullet is born.....
And the beatings will continue until morale improves!
Alas...if those behind Paul Bremer and the Coalition Provisional Authority...could only have foreseen...that dividing the New Iraq government along lines of Shia and Sunni and Kurd...would cause so much trouble that we'd have to continue the occupation endlessly...
Oh, wait...
okiegal yes, its sickening. 10 billion dollars a month! Shit! There isn't even enough oil there to recover the costs. I don't know how many Iraqis there are, but it seems like it would have been easier to bribe the whole damn country. It pisses me off to no end that we as americans go into these wars, pay for the weapons to bomb the shit out of everything, then pay again to rebuild everything; then PAY AGAIN to pad corporate pockets, then PAY ONCE AGAIN to bribe and quell the outrage of the inhabitants, "a.k.a. insurgents". And why? Cause they don't like us. Is this a fucking high school popularity contest?
MATH WIZZES!!!!!!
HONESTLY! With all the money we are going to spend in this war, how much per barrel of oil could we afford instead. Is there really that much oil there? Could we have all avoided this war by paying two more dollars a gallon?
Was there ever any doubt that the spin would be "in?" Just knowing that the president has chosen 9/11 as the day General Petraeus will deliver the report should tell us everything.
Spin; Remember that book "1984"
we all remember the book "1984", the question is the relevance. I hope to hear from you soon "saywhat"
I'm not bothered by the whole report. Just the parts that are true.
absolutely correct. 'good vs. evil' (taking into account, of course, the 'grey' area of our great anti-terrorism friend, pakistan). 'mission accomplished'(taking into account, the 'grey' area of no one getting killed or injured landing GW on the aircraft carrier or was 'mission accomplished' really referring to iraq). them vs. us(too much 'grey' area there to mention. the basic difference between GAO report and this administration's assessment is the same difference between living in the real world or living in 'la-la' land. i think every american should have equal access to the drugs this administration is ingesting. their world really does seem to be much gentler, kinder, peaceful. right! roll the pant legs up, it is too late to save the shoes! peace.
ah, the shoes and the feet will always be around...
it is never too late...
Peace for real,
Ken Hausle
The solution is so easy to implement,,,,,
Shut off the tap...
Without money, Bush&Co can't function...So what we as a nation has to do is STOP paying taxes.
Yep, that's right, just stop paying, after all, they can't put tens of million ex-taxpayers in jail can they.
Imagine the problems that will cause to the nitwits that are representing us in Washington when they find out they won't get a pay check until they start performing, in other words, a performance clause put into their contract.
Of course this is folly since there aren't enough Americans with the backbone to carry this out. They would sooner sit on the sidelines and complain and snivell.
So much for a simple solution.
Peace to you all
Dr Bob
(on medical assignment in S Lebanon)
An appeal to the world,
we here in the US have lost control of our government. We are not sure who, exactly, is in charge, it seems to be George Bush or Dick Cheney but there is serious doubt about that. They may only be puppets, figureheads, and the real persons running things may be some hidden, secretive, yet diabolic combination of corporate heads, congressmen, bankers, and others. No one seems accountable for the catastrophe that is unfolding. There is a complex web of deception, avoidance, lies and misdeeds with no one to pin the blame on.
Some innocent Americans think that democracy still prevails and that the next election will change things. They wait, complacently for the most part, naively thinking that all this turmoil will be corrected in the next election. They are wrong. Quietly and steadily the wheels of power have been transferred to a very few shadowy figures, serving the interests of corporate elites. These usurpers care nothing for the suffering that has been unleashed upon the peoples of Iraq and elsewhere, nor do they care about the consequences of an attack upon the people of Iran. They are on a maniacal quest to dominate by destruction.
Our treasury has been looted, our military corrupted and demoralized, our Congress has been castrated, and our Constitution is in shambles.
We are a lost people and many of us don't even know it. It may be too late to try to awaken the slumbering American people from their stupor and the world cannot afford to wait.
So we appeal to those in the civilized world. We ask that you help stop a group of madmen who have wrestled control of the world's most powerful, and most dangerous, military machine. These maniacs seem hellbent on world domination and will use whatever military means possible even if it means unleashing thermonuclear weapons.
We few who are trying to change things are failing. Petitions to congressmen fall on deaf ears, voting is a sham, demonstrations seem useless and too few are refusing to pay the immoral federal tax that keeps the war machine running.
This is not an American problem alone. Yes, the American people naively let this cabal happen, while they overindulged and slept. Unfortunately now it is a worldwide problem and it will take an awakened worldwide population to stop this insanity if it wants to survive.
The 'Axles of Evil' of the neocon nightmare continue to creak and fall off their Handcart to Hell...
Bit by bit the whole mess publicly falls apart, -exposing the fools and foolishness behind the tragic mess of invasion.
Here's news from the UK:
"...former chief of the general staff, Gen Sir Mike Jackson, added that US strategy had been "short-sighted".
He said former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld was "one of the most responsible for the current situation".
~read whole report at:
*UK general attacks US Iraq policy*
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6973618.stm
Speaking of "spin," did you hear Tony Snowjob praising Bush, saying he was such a "wonderful" person, "kind," (haha) "intelligent," "good sense of humor," a superb guy to work for, etc., etc. Snow said Bush was being unfairly picked on and portrayed as a cartoon character. I guess Bush is the only one to ever have appeared in political cartoons.
Oh me oh my I feel sooo guilty....LOL....I'd be surprised if Snow doesn't try to get Bush canonized. Bush surrounds himself with loyal bootlickers. His new press secretary won't be any different. Who pays the press secretary's salary? Bush or the taxpayers?
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Civilian deaths from violence in Iraq rose in August, with 1,773 people killed, government data showed on Saturday, just days before the U.S. Congress gets a slew of reports on President George W. Bush's war
I agree so much with everything rebelnow has said.We have to somehow make things change NOW. How about a boycott? Lets decide together which international "Big Boy" to go for, set a date, spread the word and we could start a habit.
It might seem a bit of a dream, but apart from an all out revolution it's the greatest power we hold. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM TOGETHER!!!!!
it's about time the American public wakes up to the reality. your government leaders are terrorists and swindlers. you are being SCREWED - BIG TIME. Wake up and smell the coffee, its soon to turn into BLOOD OIL.
Bankrupt our country and then sell out to the highest bidder. Why not? The Federal Reserve has it's collateral, only 2% of people in America own their home outright. Capitalism at it's highest peak. There is absolutely no protections in place. Fascists want people to be completely dependant on them.
So who is going to break who?
Every day Iraq looks more like Palestine.
"More sugar coated news from Iraq on the way from our favorite used war salesman."
A classic line, MoutainMike. Hope you don't mind if I borrow it on occassion.