August 30, 2007

GAO Draft Complicates Reports Of Iraqi Progress

UPDATED.

A new assessment of the situation in Iraq conducted by the Government Accountability Office paints a far gloomier picture of progress there than the White House's own preliminary findings, released last month. A draft of the report leaked to the Washington Post found that Iraq has met only three of the 18 military and political benchmarks set by Congress in order to measure progress there, while two others have been "partially met."

The Pentagon was quick to dispute that account. Today, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said that after reviewing the draft, military officials "made some factual corrections" and suggested the GAO change some of its grades. "We have provided the GAO with information which we believe will lead them to conclude that a few of the benchmark grades should be upgraded from 'not met' to 'met,'" he said.

Evaluating the progress in Iraq, the draft concludes that, "Overall, key legislation has not been passed, violence remains high, and it is unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend $10 billion in reconstruction funds." Elsewhere, it states simply, "The capabilities of Iraqi security forces have not improved."

Of the political goals laid out by Congress, the report says only one has been achieved: measures to protect the rights of minority parties in the legislature. "Prospects for additional progress in enacting legislative benchmarks have been complicated by the withdrawal of 15 of 37 members of the Iraqi cabinet," the draft notes.

The GAO's findings differ markedly from the administration's interim report in July, which found satisfactory progress being made toward eight of the 18 benchmarks and at least some gains being made toward two more. In some cases, the draft's evaluation directly contradicts that offered by the White House. While the July interim report found sectarian violence had fallen, the GAO report points out that attacks on U.S. forces are down but attacks against civilians remain steady.

As opposed to the interim report, which President Bush will deliver in final form to Congress on Sept. 15, the GAO assessment had to rate progress in stark, yes-or-no terms, something the administration is seizing on as a way to play down the findings.

According to the Post, the draft was leaked by a government official who was concerned it would be watered down before its official release. The final version will be delivered to Congress next Tuesday.

Posted at 1:00 PM
Posted to: Iraq, Middle East
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