Thread #1 New GEO report on Iraq now cspan3, Kerry, Sen. Foreign Rel. Comm.

[rodeodance]

IN THE SENATE
Assessment on Iraq
Today on C-SPAN3, The Senate Foreign Relations holds a hearing on a Government Accountability Report on the 18 Benchmarks for the Iraqi Government. The report differs in its conclusions from the report issued by the President’s Administration. GAO Comptroller General David Walker testifies.
TUES., C-SPAN3, 2PM ET
THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE

[cali]

1. Are you doing a live thread?

It sure would be appreciated.

[rodeodance]

3. Kerry gavelled open

[TayTay]

60. Sen Kery's opening remarks

Kerry Opening Statement on GAO Iraq Benchmarks Report

Mr. Walker, thank you for coming before the Committee today. We appreciate your willingness to adjust your schedule to testify, and look forward to hearing about this significant and timely report. The GAO has earned its reputation for objective, factual, analysis— something that has been in tragically short supply in the Washington debate over Iraq before the war, during the war, and still today as the occupation extends into its fourth year.

That is why Congress asked for this non-partisan assessment on whether the 18 key benchmarks for measuring political, security and economic progress – as originally agreed to by the Iraqi government in June of 2006 -- have been met, so that we can get an accurate picture of where we are in Iraq, and we go from here.

No one should ignore the bottom-line conclusion of your report. It clearly states that: “The Iraqi government met 3, partially met 4, and did not meet 11 of its 18 benchmarks. Overall, key legislation has not been passed, violence remains high, and it remains unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend $10 billion in reconstruction funds.”

In other words, only three of these 18 benchmarks have actually been met. No matter what spin we may hear in the coming days, this independent assessment is a failing grade for a policy that simply isn't working.

This conclusion appears to contrast with at least some aspects of the Administration’s interim assessment of the benchmarks, delivered to Congress in July, which found that “satisfactory progress” had been made in meeting 8 of the 18 benchmarks. In particular, there seems to be some disagreement over whether the security situation has actually improved, whether the Iraqis have provided the 3 brigades required for the Baghdad security plan, and whether the Iraqis are meeting their commitments with respect to spending reconstruction funds.

While we recognize the difference between making progress and actually meeting benchmarks, these discrepancies raise questions about the information that we are receiving from the Administration about the war in Iraq. We also need to be sure that the GAO received the full cooperation and support of the Department of Defense and White House in preparing this report.

One thing we all agree on is that the escalation had a single, simple goal: to create "breathing room" for Iraqis to make the political compromises that will hold their country together and end their civil war. Even the White House acknowledges that there is no American military solution to an Iraqi civil war. Yet still, despite the obvious lack of movement on political reconciliation, we keep hearing that we are making progress in Iraq.

The reality, as explained by your report, and supported by the consensus view of our sixteen intelligence agencies in the most recent National Intelligence Estimate, is that there has been no meaningful progress on meeting the key political benchmarks. In fact, your report concludes that the Iraqis met only one of the eight benchmarks for political progress – protecting the rights of minorities in Iraq’s legislature – and partially met one other. The Iraqis have not yet agreed on the key issue of amending the Constitution, and crucial legislation on de-Ba’athification, oil revenue sharing, provincial elections, amnesty and militia disarmament still has not been enacted.

The GAO isn't alone. Your findings echo last month's NIE, another independent assessment which concluded that the overall level of violence remains high, the level of political progress has been negligible, and "the Iraqi government will become more precarious over the next six to 12 months." We can see the unsettling news in Iraqi politics with our own eyes. 15 of the 37 members of the Iraqi cabinet have now withdrawn their support, making it difficult to imagine how the national reconciliation efforts of the Shiite-dominated government will be improving anytime soon.

All summer, supporters of the escalation urged us to wait until September. Wait until September to give the escalation a chance. Wait until September to hear from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker. Well, September is here, and the result is as regrettable as it was predictable three or even six months ago, before hundreds more Americans had died: at an immeasurable cost of American lives, there was an escalation to buy time for political progress in Iraq, and –without deadlines, without accountability—there has been no real political progress in Iraq.

This Administration hasn't just failed to keep its promises—it has proven chronically unable to even hold itself to its own goals. Each time we hear, "this is what we were trying to do all along. This is what really mattered." Mistake after mistake has been met not with a changed policy, but with changing rationales.

The White House badly wants Americans to forget that the purpose of the escalation was to force political compromise over federalism, oil sharing, and the sectarian balance of power—without which there will be no peace – and they instead want to point to a few villages in Al-Anbar as proof that the escalation is working, when by their own measurements it is not.

In fact, just yesterday the President reiterated the same old line that some U.S. forces may eventually be withdrawn if conditions improve, when it's long since been clear that setting a redeployment deadline is key to improving conditions.

So as we reach another moment of reckoning this September—with the long-awaited Petraeus Report, it should surprise no one that the public report will be written not by the General, not by our Ambassador in Baghdad, but by the White House— the White House which has again and again avoided the kind of plain, unadorned facts discussed in the GAO report.

Instead of an honest appraisal of the escalation, this White House is again moving the goalposts and the shifting criteria. Their rationales may change, but one thing has been consistent: Their response to bad news has been and continues to be: simply change the story. What they can't change is the fact that time is not on our side. It's wrong to sacrifice so many American lives each month for a policy we know is not working.

We need reports like the GAO's to lay out what's really happening in Iraq -- and to help force policymakers in Washington to take responsibility and, most importantly, to take action, to take action so that Americans aren't asked to die for a policy that can't work.

Thank you again for your testimony today.

[rodeodance]

62. thanks

[rodeodance]

2. periodically,

http://www.c-span.org/watch/cspan3_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS3

[rodeodance]

4. "looking for the Truth, best policy for the troops, our country and Iraq.

[rodeodance]

5. wants 'accurate' report.

[rodeodance]

6. NEEDS some RECOMMENDS please

[buzzard]

8. Done, I do like listening to Kerry as I paint. n/t

[rodeodance]

7. PURPOSE of surge was to give breathing room for political reconsilation but this

has not happened (only 3 of 18 benchmarks are met-4th partically)

[rodeodance]

9. k

[rodeodance]

10. 16 intellence agencies (no political 'progress')

[rodeodance]

11. k

[rodeodance]

12. k

[rodeodance]

13. "wait until Sept" we hear. But results are on the table already

[rodeodance]

14. 'hundreds lost their lives' our troops during this surge (predicable results

were in the forcast before our troops lost their lives)

[rodeodance]

15. k

[rodeodance]

16. k

[rodeodance]

17. says this is a new moment of reckoning---but Adm. only moves Goalposts

[zabet]

18. Listening in...

kick

[rodeodance]

19. welcome. I thought I was alone here ---expect the painter:-)

[rodeodance]

20. Lugar up on---saying not serve US interests if insert partison assessment.

[rodeodance]

21. eeks. says we should not put too much emphasis on BENCHmarks.

[rodeodance]

22. HEY----Lugar----the Iraqi LEADERS need to LEAD!

[rodeodance]

23. Lugar is talking out of both sides of his ears!

[rodeodance]

26. saying these benchmarks were made by MALIKI and his gov!

[Maggie_May]

24. candid about our troops

[Blackhatjack]

25. Uh oh,... sounds like bad news coming for the White House

[Blackhatjack]

27. Iraqis met 3, did not meet 11, of 18 benchmarks.... hum that does not add up

[rodeodance]

30. Kerry said earlier. some were just a smitchen met

[Spazito]

72. 4 of the 18 benchmarks partially met

3 met, 4 partially met, 11 not met at all

[rodeodance]

28. i had to leave a bit. What are you talking about?

[Blackhatjack]

31. His overview of which benchmarks have been met (out of 18 total)

[rodeodance]

40. thanks

[karynnj]

29. Just saw the thread -

Walker is really giving a very poor report card. The report card looks terrible.

[rodeodance]

44. welcome. about the report card. you can't give an A if A work is not 'there"

[karynnj]

59. It sounds like an "F" to me

I wonder if this was a bit like report cards young George actually got.

Seriously, Lugar's comments are incredible - he is to the point of almost saying that maybe only a government like the one they had for "15 years" would work - ie a strongman dictator.

[Blackhatjack]

32. Aahhh... those missing four benchmark grades were 'partially met'

[rodeodance]

33. David M. Walker , Government Accountability Office is talking

02:00 PM EDT
2:30 (est.) LIVE
Senate Committee
Situation in Iraq
Foreign Relations
John F. Kerry , D-MA
David M. Walker , Government Accountability Office
The beginning and end of this live program may be earlier or later than the scheduled times.

[rodeodance]

34. WH is measuring by "satifactoryly met" (while GAO means as NOT, Particlly or met.

[rodeodance]

36. HA----David says someone in the ADM. leaked the Draft.

[rodeodance]

37. WH gave them some new INFO so GAO changed some benchies to 'partially met"

[TayTay]

Thanks RodeoDance

for doing this. This is an important hearing and the first chance for the Senate to talk about benchmarks in this magic September.

[rodeodance]

42. you bet. (kids need some attention at times-so I am listening with one ear)

[TayTay]

49. I understand.

BTW, Think Progress (http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/04/gao-report-iraq/) has the link to the actual GAO Report and a handy-dandy chart for which of the benchmarks were met and which were not or were only partially met. Nice info to have.

[Blackhatjack]

35. Unfortunately somebody leaked the report last Thursday ....

and we changed our judgments regarding 2 benchmarks.

[Blackhatjack]

38. Talking about 'divided loyalties' within the Iraqis ....

[zabet]

39. 'nother kick

[Blackhatjack]

41. Kerry just cut to the chase.... those marked met and partially met are 'light in impact'

there is not much to celebrate in the benchmarks, Kerry just called innocuous.

[rodeodance]

46. oh, it is so sweet to hear him again.

[Blackhatjack]

43. K & R

[Blackhatjack]

45. By definition, there is no 'partially met' when measuring benchmarks...

Benchmarks are brightline tests that help you measure where you are progress-wise.

[rodeodance]

51. True. cause WH is satistactorylly-----with this you end in a swamp by what do you

mean by 'satisfactory"

[karynnj]

64. except Bush likely always got a break on meeting benchmarks

throughout his whole life. Kerry just used "partially met" to point out that made the "not met" worse, as it meant they were completely bad. Kerry angered by Bush saying the military would judge the benchmarks calmly while politicians do that nervously in DC looking at polls.

[Blackhatjack]

47. Lugar(R-IND) "Do Iraqis want to be Iraqis?"

A good question --did we break the jar when we deposed Saddam, and now you cannot put them back together again?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

50. Excellent question. Anyone who has read on any history on "Iraq",

an artificially created country would know the answer.

[rodeodance]

48. Lugar: "Do Iraqi's want to be Iraqi's?" (national loyality)-He is asking this. Good

question.

[Blackhatjack]

52. "15 of 37 Legislative Leaders in Iraq have checked out"

[Blackhatjack]

54. It is clear that Legislative Leaders are not together on this issue...

[rodeodance]

57. and many otheres just do not show up

[rodeodance]

53. Lugar asking if it POSSIBLE for iraqi's can come to a solution (other than by the

way (guns) they are and have been doing for generations)

[rodeodance]

55. DAVID has it!!------WHAT is our GOAL in Iraq??????

[Blackhatjack]

56. David Walker says we need to decide what our role is if we stay...

after all these years that is an important question to answer.

[Blackhatjack]

58. Feingold hones in on the drain of Iraq on our fight against Al Qaeda

[rodeodance]

61. Russ Feingold up------asking about the malicias

[TayTay]

66. I know this is a typo

buy malicias is delicious. The militias are malicious.

[rodeodance]

81. you got me. funny. I think I will leave as is.

[TayTay]

116. I make my fair share, or above, of typos

no offense intended. Sometimes the typos are just wonderful. This one was great and I completely agree with it.

[TwilightGardener]

63. Feingold--are there just pockets of security?

Walker--there are, not sure they're sustainable.

[TwilightGardener]

65. Kerry back up--is it me or does he need a haircut?

[karynnj]

68. It is longer - I think it looks good.

But I came of age in the 1960s. His hair seems to get very wavy when it gets long.

[rodeodance]

69. ha ha. I noticed also. but looks fine t me

[buzzard]

71. He always looks good to me, long or short.n/t

[rodeodance]

67. Kerry saying he was angry by what the PRES said in IRAQ yesterday--saying that

politians in DC make decisions based on polls.

[TwilightGardener]

70. Hagel up--

[TwilightGardener]

73. Hagel--How much more investment in blood should we apply?

[rodeodance]

74. HO HO--another big question: given this dire report HOW much more are we

willing to invest-----its been 5 years.

[rodeodance]

75. and that came from HAGEL. says also, it is NOT WHEN but HOW, as we WILL LEAVE.

[TwilightGardener]

76. Hagel--going to have to make some difficult choices--

can Iraqis sustain what we have bought for them with our blood?

[rodeodance]

77. Hagel saying that WE need to come to judgement on where we go( given this report)

[TwilightGardener]

78. Hagel--do you believe there is a functioning government in Iraq?

[TwilightGardener]

79. Walker--significant progress not made on day to day living conditions for Iraqis--

Government is dysfunctional.

[rodeodance]

80. Hagel asking if there is a Functioning Government? 'the gov is Dysfunctional"

[TwilightGardener]

82. Menendez--gov gets failing grade? Walker--it's unsatisfactory

[TwilightGardener]

83. Menendez--escalation has not met stated goals.

[karynnj]

87. - and Walker agreed

also said not acceptable progress for security goals either.

Menendez unhappy with changes made from original report.

[Spazito]

84. Here are the 18 benchmarks and how they rated, from the GAO report

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/gao-report/?resultpage=2&

[TwilightGardener]

86. Thanks!

[rodeodance]

97. yes. thank you

[rodeodance]

98. GAO Report on Iraqi Benchmarks Sept 4, 2007---so this is the Final one.

[rodeodance]

85. Dem. Bob Menendez saying WH moving goalposts-says WH does NOT care about benchmarks

any more.

but says they are necessy for accountability.

[rodeodance]

88. He is concerned about the Report----Draft report vs final report (there is a history of

changes in Reports in this adm.)

[rodeodance]

90. David says only item changed was # 9 (he got classified infor so, he needed to change.) This

draft was written july 31 and he changed in mid aug (which he calls the Final report)

[TwilightGardener]

89. Menendez sounding a little contentious about the final report

beimg different from draft report.

[rodeodance]

95. He suspects the WH fed him new information at the last moment.

[karynnj]

100. In view of how they edited all the pre-Iraq reports

his question was warranted - especially given the direction of the changes. Walker though was straight in agreeing that progress is unsatisfactory.

[TwilightGardener]

91. Interesting to see the diff between Senators--the "Big Picture"

Senators (Kerry, Hagel, Lugar) and "details" Senators (Menendez). Guess they all have a different focus. Walker just blew him off, told him he'd talk to him separately about the draft/final differences.

[TwilightGardener]

92. Normy Coleman--another "details" guy.

[rodeodance]

93. Norm Colman, R. saying Violence was reduced in AUG -Petraeus said so.

[TwilightGardener]

96. BUT--Walker said Petraeus did not give them data on that

[rodeodance]

108. Colman listens to msm and Foxie TV

[WildEyedLiberal]

94. God it is nice to hear Kerry's voice

That's what a president sounds like.

Thanx for the thread

[TwilightGardener]

99. Walker--Iraqi gov's INTENT to deliver money/revenue doesn't mean

it's done--poor track record. Normy--blame Maliki for everything!

[TwilightGardener]

101. Casey--emphasizing non-political/independent function of GAO

[rodeodance]

106. yes, that heeds to be pointed out RE-peatedly!

[rodeodance]

102. In listening to Coleman--he WILL vote with Bush.

[TwilightGardener]

103. Yep--he was scoring Repub points

[ProSense]

104. This is an awesome thread!

Thanks!

[rodeodance]

118. Hi

[sandnsea]

125. It is really great

and appreciated. It's sad this isn't on instead of these pundits blathering about nothing.

[TwilightGardener]

105. Casey asks about Iraqi security forces, Walker says specific info classified.

[TwilightGardener]

107. Casey--Iraqis asking for patience and time, but we're paying for that with our troops' lives.

[rodeodance]

110. GAO will be issueing a CLASSIFIED report Tomorrow on militias

[TwilightGardener]

109. No law drafted regarding militias, while our men and women die.

Not just implemented, not even DRAFTED. Outrageous, says Casey.

[TwilightGardener]

111. Corker--questioning the validity of the benchmarks--of course, the GOP wants

to back away from them and play them down now--way to toe the party line, assclown.

[TayTay]

117. The benchmarks that were passed in May

that the Repubs are just now beginning to think won't be met. I wonder if Sen. Corker questioned them before they passed the Senate in May.

[TwilightGardener]

121. Now he's saying, maybe we didn't ask the right questions--in other

words, the GOP didn't get the answers it wanted.

[TwilightGardener]

112. Walker--central--WHAT is the proper role of military in Iraq?

edit--is it fighting AQ, or policing streets? Congress needs to figure it out.

[rodeodance]

114. yes. he said ealier, that this question has not been asked

[rodeodance]

113. HA HA HA---Walker telling Repug that thise are set by the IRAQI gov. not made

up by the GAO.

te he.

[TwilightGardener]

115. LOL! I heard that--Corker tried to de-legitimize the benchmarks

as if WE asked the "wrong questions"--Walker is schooling Corker about the benchmarks, and what's really important to focus on.

[rodeodance]

119. Walker talking of the 'loyality' factor of Iraqi forces again (lack of).

[TwilightGardener]

120. Walker really has a good grasp of the situation there, seems to me.

Knows that nothing will be accomplished without Iraqis becoming loyal to a unified Iraq and political reconciliation.

[TwilightGardener]

122. Kerry--is Anbar progress temporary, and is it transferable to Baghdad--

Kerry--not us responsible for AQ defeat, Sunnis just got sick of them? Walker--possibly.

[rodeodance]

123. # 2 THREAD here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1731537

[rodeodance]

124. thanks for the REC folfks. now go to @2 and REC here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1731537&mesg_id=1731537