Thursday, July 12, 2007
The INITIAL Benchmark Assessment Report on Iraq
MSNBC loves to talk with “officials”. A few days ago, they reported on an impending “Initial Benchmark Assessment Report” and their “Official” source was not optimistic:
“A progress report on Iraq will conclude that the U.S.-backed government in Baghdad has not met any of its targets for political, economic and other reform, speeding up the Bush administration's reckoning on what to do next, a U.S. official said Monday.” July 9, 2007: Official: Report will say no goals met in Iraq - Politics - MSNBC.com
(…and a mid-season progress report on the Boston Red Sox has concluded that they have not yet met any of their 2007 goals of winning the AL East, the AL Pennant or the World Series.)
A few days later:
“The Iraqi government has made mixed progress in meeting political and security goals, U.S. officials said Thursday citing a report that may add to rising calls for a change of course in the unpopular war.” July 12, 2007: White House gives Iraq a mixed review - Politics - MSNBC.com
Wish I knew who these officials are but unfortunately “the officials… requested anonymity because the report had not yet been made public.” MSNBC tells us this one paragraph after noting that “[t]he widely anticipated report [was] released Thursday”. What’s more, they helpfully include a link to the “not yet been made public” report. Interim_Benchmark_Report.pdf
...which I think you'll have to use if you want to better understand the nuances of the report rather than rely on MSNBC's cadre of U.S. officials.
“A progress report on Iraq will conclude that the U.S.-backed government in Baghdad has not met any of its targets for political, economic and other reform, speeding up the Bush administration's reckoning on what to do next, a U.S. official said Monday.” July 9, 2007: Official: Report will say no goals met in Iraq - Politics - MSNBC.com
(…and a mid-season progress report on the Boston Red Sox has concluded that they have not yet met any of their 2007 goals of winning the AL East, the AL Pennant or the World Series.)
A few days later:
“The Iraqi government has made mixed progress in meeting political and security goals, U.S. officials said Thursday citing a report that may add to rising calls for a change of course in the unpopular war.” July 12, 2007: White House gives Iraq a mixed review - Politics - MSNBC.com
Wish I knew who these officials are but unfortunately “the officials… requested anonymity because the report had not yet been made public.” MSNBC tells us this one paragraph after noting that “[t]he widely anticipated report [was] released Thursday”. What’s more, they helpfully include a link to the “not yet been made public” report. Interim_Benchmark_Report.pdf
...which I think you'll have to use if you want to better understand the nuances of the report rather than rely on MSNBC's cadre of U.S. officials.
