Benchmarks Reached By the Government
William Branigin, Robin Wright and Peter Baker of the Washington Post:
Crocker also said that 18 benchmarks for Iraqi political, economic and security progress are not always the best indicators for Washington’s broader goals.
“Iraqis could hit all the benchmarks but still not achieve national reconciliation,” he said.
Crocker defended the Maliki government on the slow pace of reconciliation efforts, telling senators, “It’s not simply a leadership incapable or unwilling.” He said a wide array of circumstances, including security, had made reconciliation “very hard or impossible” until the last two months.
I don’t understand what’s delaying them. They have such a great model of democracy in action to follow.
Amid division, some Democratic leaders appeared glum. Hoyer said it was “doubtful” that the day’s events had moved either side. “I think everybody’s pretty much in the place where we’ve been,” he said. Rep. Dan Boren (Okla.), a conservative Democrat, agreed: “I don’t think it’s going to change many minds. It’s kind of like we’re at the same point we were at months ago.”
If so, that would be an anticlimactic outcome of what had been building as a potential turning point in the debate over the war. What was proffered last spring as a fall status report by Petraeus and Crocker became an anticipated moment of truth, with the update even codified into law along with a requirement that the president assess whether Iraq had met 18 security, political and economic goals.
Oh yeah.
Every six months, nothing much is new, nobody’s budging, nothing’s going to change.
That’s our wide stance Republicans for you. Standing outside, peering in, experts at … the stall.
Know-Nothing racist and xenophobic words have coupled with Do-Nothing deeds. That’s the modern GOP promise to you: come back in 6 months and we’ll shuffle and drool some more.
