Second House request: Pentagon is asked (again) for report on Iraqi readiness

[babylonsister]

Again, why are they stonewalling, what are they hiding?

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/04/03/pentagon_is_asked_for_report_on_iraqi_readiness/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News+%2F+Nation


Pentagon is asked for report on Iraqi readiness
Assessments critique battle performance

By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff | April 3, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Despite repeated requests from a House committee chairman and government investigators, the Pentagon has failed to hand over its official assessments of the readiness of US-trained Iraqi security units to take over key functions from the US military.

Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has demanded that the Pentagon provide the assessments, which critique Iraqi performance on the battlefield, according to a previously unreleased letter. The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, also has requested the reports as part of a separate inquiry. But the Defense Department has balked on both requests so far, without giving any official explanation.

The field reports, which are known as Transition Readiness Assessments, are compiled every month by US advisers embedded with Iraqi units. They rate each unit's perceived loyalty, battle performance, and ability to supply itself in the field. The reports also chart each unit's ethnic breakdown, which is considered a key to maintaining a multiethnic force that can police sectarian violence.

The reports, Skelton said in a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, are critical to assessing the true state of the estimated 330,000 Iraqi security forces that have been trained to date.

"Congress must have this information in order to carry out its constitutional oversight responsibilities," Skelton said in the March 15 letter. "It is essential that the Congress is provided with the unit-level as soon as possible."

The letter marked the second time this year the committee has formally asked the Pentagon for the reports. The first time was back in January, according to officials.

more...

[SpiralHawk]

1. "The Constitution? Bwaa ha ha ha ha. Smirk, smirk." - Commander AWOL

& His intimate Cabal of Corrupt& Deviant Republicon Cronies

[whistle]

2. The question I have is how is $122 billion considered "supplemental"

...spending in Iraq? If it is approved it is automatically spent to expand the war. So the military has to be held accountable for this and for that matter all that they spend. Stonewalling against congress is stonewalling against the American people. So we do have the right to know, war or no war!

[peacetalksforall]

3. So we have George whining this AM in front of INVESTIGATIVE

journalists (supposedly investigative, supposedly journalists) and no one asked him about this delay? Isn't it all about the same subject? Time and money? OK, maybe the journalists will do their job at the next opportunity.

[babylonsister]

4. Now that's funny! And 'maybe' pigs will fly!

:hi:

[HuffleClaw]

5. i suppose they'll simply cry, 'national security!!!!' ?

its worked pretty well for them so far.