What a failed policy looks like
By Steve Benen Wednesday Aug 29, 2007 7:15amIn May, the president signed legislation that funded the war in Iraq, and included a mandate that the administration report by Sept. 15 on whether Iraq is “achieving progress” toward 16 specific benchmarks. It was about establishing some measurable standards of success — meeting the benchmarks would reflect actual progress, falling short would reflect failure.
In July, the White House, after fudging its facts a bit, concluded it was on track on eight of the 18 benchmarks, none of them dealing with political progress, which is the point of the “surge” policy. Today, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office will offer a far more discouraging, far more accurate, and a “strikingly negative” assessment.
Iraq has failed to meet all but three of 18 congressionally mandated benchmarks for political and military progress, according to a draft of a Government Accountability Office report. The document questions whether some aspects of a more positive assessment by the White House last month adequately reflected the range of views the GAO found within the administration. […]
“Overall,” the report concludes, “key legislation has not been passed, violence remains high, and it is unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend $10 billion in reconstruction funds,” as promised. While it makes no policy recommendations, the draft suggests that future administration assessments “would be more useful” if they backed up their judgments with more details and “provided data on broader measures of violence from all relevant U.S. agencies.”
That last point is particularly noteworthy — the GAO is effectively conceding in a government report that the White House intends to deceive the Congress and the public. We may have come to expect stunning dishonesty from the Bush administration, but for the GAO to call the White House out like reflects just how reckless and mendacious the Bush gang has become.
As for the policy, it's not working. To support the status quo is to support failure. It's that simple.
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How long before the GAO is labelled as traitors and commies by BushCo.?
The white house has already poo poo-ed this report. No surprise there. The white house hates facts and reality. They would prefer us to just take their word for everything and not ask questions.
Are Bush's political defenses low right now? I just hope Gen Petreaus doesn't fizzle out on us.
Why does the GAO hate our troops?
</snark>
How long before the petulant king shrub begins the swift boating of the GAO? Or will he just have one of his political hatchet men gut it and restaff it with bobble heads? Perhaps the vice president will make it magically disappear by adding it to the part of the government he runs, you know, the one that falls between the cracks of Legislative and Executive.
Indeed, supporting the status quo = supporting failure. In addition, supporting the Bush administration = supporting failure. A stopped clock is right twice a day. Has our president been able to achieve even this? Seriously, has he done anything right in the past seven years?
Indigowatcher @ 3:
Sorry to disappoint but Petreaus's report is being written by the White House and not by Petreaus himself, so don't expect much more then a fizzle. - but if you think of it what else could the Bush Crime Family do? if the report came out with real facts then they would be forced to pull out of this failed fiasco and Bush is stealing too much money to even want to end this bloody oil war.
The next Preznit is so #$%&ed!
Uh, and so are we!
The GAO report points to just another lie in a long string of failures and lies put forth by the Bush Administration. You have to wonder, if in the back of the minds of those few that still support this Administration, if they to are starting raise questions about the Administration's competence and truthfulness. I mean, loyalty is one thing but remaining loyal to a constant lying, failure requires a lot more.
Didn't they shut down the GAO office in Iraq at one time back around the elections? Or maybe I'm thinking of something else.
We must not allow the GOP to take the Presidency again in'08.
We must clean the accumulation of filth out of the White House.
Why wouldn't the W.H. cherry pick the evidence and fudge the facts in their reports on Iraq? I mean they essentially lied the country into a war of choice, all the evidence is out there, and what were the consequences? Oh yeah, re-election in 2004, arguably meaningless majorities for the opposition party in Congress in 2006, and Medals of Freedom all around. There's no real short term negative consequences for them in the courts or media so why should they give a flying... Oh yeah, they don't and we've known that since Cheney told Leahy what he thought. Quite a few constitutional 'scholars' and average observers, like me, out there chewing their fingernails realizing how broken the system of govt. is right now. Oh well, I've got my internets and ipods and that makes everything ok I guess.
I heard on the news today that some of the arms we have given to Iraqis have shown up in Turkey and are being used to commit violent crimes. I wonder if they are some of the missing ones the GAO reported about earlier this month?
The point that everyone here seems to be missing is that the situation in Iraq is not the way it is because of incompetence, but by design.
If you accept the false premise that the administration's goal in Iraq is to quell violence and bring democracy, the current state of affairs looks like failure. But, if you take into account this administration's true motives (endless war in Iraq, justifying a permanent military presence in the M.E.), then the current state of affairs can only be described as an unqualified success.
Don't make the mistake that these people are incompetent. They didn't manage to steal two presidential elections, dismantle much of the U.S. Constitution, and fatally compromise the U.S. Justice Department by being incompetent.
The GAO has been forthcoming about corruption and failure in Iraq before, but the sheep in Congress just keep bobbing their heads in docile obeisance to King George XLIII. Parsons Corp. built a police academy where shit leaks from the ceiling, but somehow, we all believed that - in six months - we'd have shiny legions of Iraqi police ready to take over for our troops.
It should be noted that the 'six more months' theory isn't just how the Bush Administration handles Iraq; it's how they're handling the aftermath of Katrina. Bush literally told folks yesterday that they can't see the progress because, well, they're still living in trailers and being defrauded by contractors and insurance companies. But, see, Laura and he, they drop by every six months or so, and voila! there's progress!
Bush's verbal bobble of the day: "Laura and I support libraries. That's why we're dedicating books."
I know everyone has the occasional slip of the tongue, but sheesh - this guy can't even get a word from the page to his mouth. Can't remember the word hurricane. Can't remember the word mud.
Not only is the political situation not improving, the purpose of the surge, but the military is failing as well. There were 10 Iraqi units up and running as of March, 08. Current report states that the number has been reduced to 6. Despite Bush's BS it is clearly a civil war with Shiite killing Shiite, Shiite killing Sunni and the number of civilian bombings have remained constant with an average of 25 a day.
The thing is the W.H. does not care about any reports other than the shit they right up. And why should they, nobody is holding them accountable for thier LIES. And I mean NOBODY. The people are distracted with entertainment, the media cares only about telling stories that make them money, and our politicians only care about getting elected(or remaining electible).
Its truly sad......
Bush’s verbal bobble of the day: “Laura and I support libraries. That’s why we’re dedicating books.
Can the guy just go back to his farm in Waco and stay there for a while longer........Please!
TripMaster Monkey @ 14:
The sad thing about that premise, TripMaster, is that they won't stop until the Rapture comes.
Of course, since that's based on a faulty premise (misinterpretation of Scripture), there's no Rapture, and just a world cast down into darkness while these cowards wring their hands and wonder why they haven't been bodily assumed into Heaven yet.
And it still won't be their fault. It'll be the gays, or the secularists, or the ACLU, or the EFF, or Mike Stark, or DailyKos, or Hillary Clinton, or George Soros ...
If you watch the video of bush making his comments on rove's leaving, not only does he have to read the word "mud", he also has to read the words "Karl Rove". That's truly pathetic.
d-man @ 6:
Exactly. As bas as Nixon was, at least he founded the EPA. I'm still at a loss to find one redeemable thing this administration has done.
Seems to me that the 'leaking' of this in advance of the WH's version will work in their - bushco's - favor. This way they can make adjustments and come up with what their 'enablers' will see as a rationale for whatever differences there might have been in the earlier, unvarnished, version and the one they're going to tout. Now if they had held the real GAO findings until after the WH had 'hung out' all their lies and deceit for all to see, they could have sprung the truth on them with little or no time to come up with an excuse short of 'We don't care, that's our story and we're sticking to it.'
d-man @ 6:
NO!
Shadowgm sez:
I really can't believe that these monsters actually believe in the Rapture...they can't be considered Christian by any yardstick. If they serve a god at all, it's the Owl of Bohemia.
bill w @ 23:
Well the S.S. Agents say that he is pretty good on a Mtn. Bike.
Of course their words are filtered through the "Ministry of Useless Information".
If the WH does deceive the public, that is another impeachable offense. Defrauding the People.
What a pity impeachment has been taken off the table.
Supporting the status quo in Iraq = supporting failure. I agree. Now what? In an ideal world, we would not have invaded Iraq in the first place, but now that we have and, through pervasive incompetence, we have replaced a stable govenment (although a tyranny) with a failed state.
Do we take any responsibility as a nation for the actions of the administration? Do we have any obligation to try to fix the damage we caused? If not, then let's pull out. If the cost of making things better in Iraq is higher than we are willing to pay (draft, economic collapse), then we should also pull out.
TripMaster Monkey @ 24:
It doesn't matter if you consider them Christian, or if any other person considers them Christian, or if they're Christian by any objective definition (if there is one)... what matters is that they think they're Christian, and that they think they're serving God by hastening the events leading up to the Rapture. The fucked up Middle East policy for the past few decades is no accident... it's part of a plan.
No need to wait until mid Sept for Petreaus' report. It's already been written by chimpy's speech writers.
My guess is that it goes something like this:
Stay the course...fight 'em there...911...nukular holocaust...democracy in I-rack...911...911...911...marked improvements...no details...national security...heh heh heh...911...over there...not here...support the troops...911.
It's all theatre. Seriously, what do these reports matter?
He's not leaving.
Call me when the Democrats have the guts to cut off the funding.
I disagree, the policy is working perfectly. It is putting scandalous amounts of money into private hands, just as intended.
The point that everyone here seems to be missing is that the situation in Iraq is not the way it is because of incompetence, but by design.
If you accept the false premise that the administration’s goal in Iraq is to quell violence and bring democracy, the current state of affairs looks like failure. But, if you take into account this administration’s true motives (endless war in Iraq, justifying a permanent military presence in the M.E.), then the current state of affairs can only be described as an unqualified success.
Don’t make the mistake that these people are incompetent. They didn’t manage to steal two presidential elections, dismantle much of the U.S. Constitution, and fatally compromise the U.S. Justice Department by being incompetent.
The sad thing about that premise, TripMaster, is that they won’t stop until the Rapture comes
I really can’t believe that these monsters actually believe in the Rapture…they can’t be considered Christian by any yardstick. If they serve a god at all, it’s the Owl of Bohemia.
It doesn’t matter if you consider them Christian, or if any other person considers them Christian, or if they’re Christian by any objective definition (if there is one)… what matters is that they think they’re Christian, and that they think they’re serving God by hastening the events leading up to the Rapture. The fucked up Middle East policy for the past few decades is no accident… it’s part of a plan.
This is so right the fuck on .. the actual reality of it ... and of course this reality is being enabled by the evil corporate media who job is to lie, deceive, and manipulate the truth from the American People. The corporate media should be charged, tried, and convicted for 'criminal' fraud committed against this once great country. Brain Williams, Katie Couric, Charles Gibson, Tim Russert, the entire cable pundit pimps minus Keith Oberman should be handcuffed and frogged marched out the the protection of the corporate studios. The only words these corporate sluts can say without spin is 'next' to every elephant penis passing behind them, squeaking in glee as they get their million dollar paydays to the their corporations bidding. Fuck'um
Yellow Elephant Safari @ 30:
You forgot 'people who want to come here and kill Americans' and 'hateful ideology' - then throw in a smirk and head bobble (which I detest - it reminds me of carnival hucksters and fake psychics).
pissed off patricia @ 20:
He came to a complete stop before saying "mud" and would also slow down to pronounce Gono's name
Radically Moderate @ 8:
Bush: "heh heh heh"
TripMaster Monkey @ 14:
no matter how many reports show it is failing cable news plays the "surge is working" card
"I heard on the news today".....please remember to not beleive anything you hear on the news. All US media has zero credibility.
All this whining, and you are all still supporting the democrats?
I've never seen such a gathering of mentally challenged tards in my life!
Blue Buddha @ 21:
Are you kidding me? That tax rebate check I got back in '01 and promptly spent on Ecstasy, Viagra, and hookers was pretty freaking sweet.
Okay, I work in the news media, have for over 20 years. There are many dedicated and professional people in the business, who genuinely care about facts and the quality of reporting.
But then there are the stupefying moments when our public face - the reporters and anchors - simply regurgitate White House and GOP talking points without any critical analysis. Or when reporters put their name to gushing hagiographies of Condoleezza 'scary smart' Rice and unsourced hit pieces ('some say') on John & Elizabeth Edwards.
Seemingly gone (or at least dormant) is the era of Murrow and enterprise reporting. We need more incisive commentary along the lines of Keith Olbermann than the idiocy of Bill ("I'll call FOX Security!") Orally.
And viewers need to do more than suck it up without thinking. FOX Noise is successful only because there are legions of brain-dead zombies waiting to have their minds filled, their souls uplifted by the light of Sean Hannity, John Gibson, et al.
Just like myself and millions of other people in the United States knew before 'The War', that going to occupy Iraq was a bad idea. (And if I were to have been asked now if we should have just let stay Sadam, the brutal dictator in charge of that country, and not remove him with our military for the adnausium reasons, I would say YES. Yes, we absolutly should have left him there in charge At least it was THEIR dictator.) I will now confirm what myself and millions of other people in the United States knew about the surge, it was doomed to failure. Moreover, we voted in the Dems to stop just this sort of continuation of this disaster. Did they stop it, or even slow it down? No.
So with the 'wait and see' additude that both the Reps and Dems had over the surge has yielded only one result: More death, more destruction, and the world continues to judge us as bullies and empire builders.
Well done.
Citizen: "You're driving this country off a cliff! Stop it!"
Bush: "Well, now, you're not in the driver's seat. I'm the Driver. And I know where I'm going, so you just shut up."
Citizen: "Stop him! Do something!"
Pelosi: "Well, now, it's not worth taking him out of the driver's seat now - it'd be different if this were the start of the trip - and he's only going to be in the driver's seat for another sixteen months or so ..."
Reid: "I have a gentleman's agreement that he won't drive us off a cliff."
Citizen: "Arrrrrgh!"
Hannity: "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"
And so it continues. So much of the Democratic response is predicated off the illusion that Bush is rational, wants to work with Congress, and that we can trust in his ethical and moral sense.
Let's be honest. I wouldn't trust a Democrat with the same unchecked power that Bush lays claim to - what has been done to the Constitution and to our laws so completely undermines the fundamental principles of this country that there can be no exceptions. I fear terrorists far less than I do politicians who have power within their grasp.
I've no doubt that if (when) martial law is declared and they start relocating people 'for their own good,' idiots like Sean Hannity and the rest of the jackbooted assclowns at FOX Noise will be singing their praises as they re-brand themselves as the Ministry of Truth.
We have a sufficient presence in the Persian Gulf to mount a pre-emptive strike on Iran. We know both Bush and Cheney are agitating for this, practically creaming their shorts in anticipation. All it will take is a manufactured incident, through malice aforethought or deliberate negligence, and the deed will be done.
There is no reason to coddle Bush, no reason to be afraid of offending a man who has shown nothing but disrespect for the law, the Constitution, Congress, our soldiers, and the American people. He's not going to change.
Censure. Impeach. Indict.
In other words, the GAO wasn't given the latitude to spin and lie in this report the way we can and will with the Petraeus Report.
There is no reason to coddle Bush, no reason to be afraid of offending a man who has shown nothing but disrespect for the law, the Constitution, Congress, our soldiers, and the American people. He’s not going to change.
Censure. Impeach. Indict.
THANKS, SHADOWGM - MY EXACT THOUGHTS - ONLY YOU PUT THEM INTO A STATEMENT THAT MAKES SENSE.
THIS BUSH GUY IS SO FAR GONE, NOTHING CAN SAVE HIM - AND WHAT RED-BLOODED AMERICAN WOULD WANT TO? HE DOES HAVE A 26% APPROVAL RATING.
NO MY FRIEND - BUSH IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE!
Bush will definitely lie, he has started already. This is why chimpy will write the report.
No more money to this fiasco, not more "Mission Accomplished," and no more deaths.
These dicwads will want our troops to stay because from Iraq they can quickly more to Iran and any other nation.
repugs are creepy as hell
When I was a youngster - gee, that was long ago - my mother would get angry and say to me "you'll be the death of me." Well, George Walker Bush, you'll be the death of me - and probably many more.
Whoever this "Steve Benen" is, sign him to a long-term contract. THAT is how the analysis needs to be done.
When it comes to schools, conservatives always yap that "you can't solve the problem by throwing money at it." Yet with this fucked-up war they can't throw money at it fast enough.
That last point is particularly noteworthy — the GAO is effectively conceding in a government report that the White House intends to deceive the Congress and the public. We may have come to expect stunning dishonesty from the Bush administration, but for the GAO to call the White House out like reflects just how reckless and mendacious the Bush gang has become.
absolutely salient points
*drumroll*
- boosh
So they got 3 out of 18 correct, a 17% grade.
Is that a passing grade at Bushworld?
If Rove was so smart, how come he forgot to politicize the GAO?
Widespread @ 53:
Those wienie bean-counters who answer to a then-lapdog Congress? Karl the Kingmaker probably mistook them for furniture.
Isn't this the war that was to be paid for by their oil revenues?
Another thing - who replaced Rove as Bush's brain, Pee-Wee Herman?
8 out of 18: the "gentlemen's F". (good call, Jon Stewart)
What would 3 out of 18 be?
3 out of 18 is actually pretty good if you compare it to the number of statements about WMDs that were actually true before the invasion of Iraq.
Now the pentagon objects to the failing scores and has asked that the books be cooked.
Just look at the last seven years of this Bush administration and failed policy is slapping the hell out of all of us.
The sad thing is that we keep asking for more of it.
Just look at the last seven years of the Bush administration and failed policy is slapping the hell out of all of us.
The problem is we continue to keep asking for more of it.
Bush doesn't care, nor has he ever cared. He has a VENDETTA with Daddy. The American people just get in his way.
CG @ 56:
A big fuck-up from the outset.
It would be very interesting to get a side by side look at that report before and after the Pentagon review. Chances are that only the title will be the same.
And now Bush wants FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS MORE to keep going in this same direction...
WHERE IS THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY?
WHO IS CATERING TO THE WISHES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
Bush needs to come out and say "I just don't believe the GAO report," and all will be right with the world again.
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