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Iraqis 'Fail to Meet Benchmarks'

Congressional auditors say most key goals unfulfilled

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 30, 2007 4:37 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The Iraqi government has failed to meet most of the key political and military goals—the so called benchmarks—designed to measure the success of the US troop surge, congressional auditors say. An investigation by the Government Accountability Office has concluded that 13 of the 18 benchmarks remain unmet as a Sept. 15 deadline looms, the AP reports.

Lawmakers are due to be briefed on the report today. The White House moved swiftly to counter its impact, saying it fails to take account of progress toward goals that have not been fully met. "A lot of them are multi-part and so even if 90% of it is done, it's still a failure," one official said.

Residents look at what remains of a car that was used in a attack in the neighborhood of Mansour in western Baghdad, Iraq on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. The car bomb that exploded on Wednesday killed one civilian and injured 4 others. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
Residents look at what remains of a car that was used in a attack in the neighborhood of Mansour in western Baghdad, Iraq on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. The car bomb that exploded on Wednesday killed one...   (Associated Press)
Iraqi kids look at what remained from a car that was used in a attack in neighborhood of Mansour in western Baghdad, Iraq on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. The car bomb that exploded on Wednesday killed one civilian and injured 4 others. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
Iraqi kids look at what remained from a car that was used in a attack in neighborhood of Mansour in western Baghdad, Iraq on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. The car bomb that exploded on Wednesday killed one...   (Associated Press)
U.S. Marine Maj. Gen. Richard Natonski stands at the bridge in the western part of Fallujah, Iraq, where the bodies of two American contractors killed by militants were strung up in March 2004. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
U.S. Marine Maj. Gen. Richard Natonski stands at the bridge in the western part of Fallujah, Iraq, where the bodies of two American contractors killed by militants were strung up in March 2004. (AP...   (Associated Press)
Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)
Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)   (Associated Press)
U.S. Army troops from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division cross a street during an operation in the Amariyah neighborhood of west Baghdad, Iraq on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
U.S. Army troops from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division cross a street during an operation in the Amariyah neighborhood of west Baghdad, Iraq on Tuesday,...   (Associated Press)
U.S. Army troops from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division walk across the street during an operation in the Amariyah neighborhood of west Baghdad, Iraq (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
U.S. Army troops from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division walk across the street during an operation in the Amariyah neighborhood of west Baghdad, Iraq...   (Associated Press)
Iraqi policemen inspect the wreckage of a car used in a suicide bombing on a road in southern Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007. The attack, targeting a police patrol, killed one policeman and injured 13 policemen and two civilians, police said....
Iraqi policemen inspect the wreckage of a car used in a suicide bombing on a road in southern Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007. The attack, targeting...   (Associated Press)
An Iraqi policeman walks past a car destroyed by a car bomb attack in the city of Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. Three people died and 6 were injured during the incident. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)
An Iraqi policeman walks past a car destroyed by a car bomb attack in the city of Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. Three people died and 6 were injured...   (Associated Press)
A young boy drinks a glass of milk next to a poster of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has ordered a six-month suspension of activities by his...
A young boy drinks a glass of milk next to a poster of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007....   (Associated Press)
Iraqi boys look at at a damaged car in the neighborhood of Mansour in western Baghdad, Iraq on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. The car was damaged in a car bomb attack that exploded on Wednesday and killed one civilian and injured 4 others. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
Iraqi boys look at at a damaged car in the neighborhood of Mansour in western Baghdad, Iraq on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. The car was damaged in a car bomb attack that exploded on Wednesday and killed...   (Associated Press)
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