Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 24, 2008 8:49:24 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Bush Satisfied With Iraq Progress

Posted Jul 12, 07 4:56 PM CDT in US,  Politics,  World 

(Newser) – President Bush used today's interim report on the Iraq war to renew his call for Congress to withhold judgment on the troop surge until a September update, saying the military will "be in a better position to adjust" in 2 months. The report notes positive movement in eight out of 18 areas but gives unsatisfactory marks on eight other benchmarks.

Bush expressed concern about the Iraqi government, which has "not done enough to prepare for local elections." He continued to link the war to Al-Qaeda and Iran, the Washington Post reports, and was optimistic overall. "I believe we can succeed,"  he declared at his first briefing in the new press room, which reopened yesterday after nearly a year of refurbishment.

Source Washington Post

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Iraq Making Slow Gains on Goals, Says White House

    Sep 14, 07 11:06 AM CDT
    Iraq Making Slow Gains on Goals, Says White House Iraq has made "satisfactory" progress on only half of its 18 benchmarks for success, the White House told Congress today, hours after President Bush said the country’s advancements merited a strong US military presence there. Since the July progress report, only one benchmark—reintegrating Baathists into the government—has been upgraded from unsatisfactory to satisfactory, the AP reports. More »

  • Fear Rules Iraq, Briefers Tell Congress

    Jul 20, 07 7:20 AM CDT
    Fear Rules Iraq, Briefers Tell Congress Iraq is gripped by widespread fear and is unlikely to fulfill political and security goals by the pivotal September assessment, US officials told lawmakers yesterday in a briefing from Baghdad. "One word I would use to sum up the atmosphere in Iraq is 'fear,' " said ambassador Ryan Crocker, adding that the country has a "considerable ways to go" toward political stability. More »

  • Iraq Gov't Fails Progress Report

    Jul 10, 07 11:26 AM CDT
    Iraq Gov't Fails Progress Report The Iraqi government has failed to meet any of the benchmarks for reforms mandated when Congress funded the troop surge, according to a progress report due out this week. An unnamed official tells the AP that the disappointing outcome will accelerate the administration's decision-making process on Iraq, but another anonymous source says any policy alteration awaits a mid-September progress report. More »

  • Top Republican Calls for New Iraq Plan

    Jun 26, 07 1:06 PM CDT
    Top Republican Calls for New Iraq Plan An influential Republican senator abandoned his support for President Bush's Iraq war strategy last night with a call to cut back the US military's role in the region and focus more on diplomatic and economic options. Richard Lugar, the senior minority member of the Foreign Relations Committee, has a reputation for rising above partisan sniping, reports the Indianapolis Star. More »

  • Bush Staying the Course on Veto

    Apr 3, 07 1:03 PM CDT
    Bush Staying the Course on Veto Bush is staying the course in the war with Congress, ripping into "Democrat leaders" in a press conference today, and repeating his vow to veto any bills with troop withdrawal deadlines that crossed his desk. Congress, he said, is more clearly interested in fighting political battles than real ones. More »

Gen. David Petraeus, left, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, meets his field commanders in Baqouba, 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad, Saturday, July 7, 2007. Sunni extremists are likely to...   (Associated Press)
President Bush exits a C-17 transport plane to greet returning soldiers, wounded in Iraq and possibly Afghanistan at Andrews Air Force Base, Tuesday, July 10, 2007, in Maryland. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez...   (Associated Press)
Iraqis, framed by a hole in a damaged building, stand in rubble left behind after an overnight raid in the Azamiyah neighborhood by U.S. troops Thursday, July 12, 2007, in Baghdad, Iraq. Neighbors in...   (Associated Press)
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, left, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, center, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, listen as President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, not shown,...   (Associated Press)
President Bush speaks during a news conference, Thursday, July 12, 2007, in the White House Press Room, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

More background

Related articles

Threads (1 of 3)

Tags

Iraq  • George W. Bush  • Iraq war  • Congress  • Democrats  • Republicans  • United States  • White House  • David Petraeus  • troop withdrawal  • American troops  • benchmarks  • press conference  • progress report


Loading...

Loading...

Today's Most Popular


Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »