by Mark Silva
The Bush administration insists that it is not “moving the goal post’’ on its September report on the progress of the U.S. military in Iraq.
The White House also suggests that the Pentagon may have “some clarifications’’ to make today, following Gen. Ray Odierno’s remarks yesterday that it will take until November to get a full sense of the progress of the “surge’’ of forces that the president has deployed in Iraq.
“There is no change in the reporting requirements,’’ said Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, noting that Congress has required another report of the administration by Sept. 15 – and no, the administration is not attempting to push that back. “No, (Bush) is not moving the goal post.’’
What Odierno was saying is “he will have a better idea of what the progress will be in November,’’ Snow told reporters this morning. “It does not alter the commitment this administration has made to provide a report to Congress by September.’’
But will the import of that September report be less significant – in other words, will the administration be able to say much more about progress in Iraq than it said in last week’s mixed progress report?
“I can’t prejudge,’’ Snow said.
The suggestion by U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker that there is more to the picture in Iraq than the 18 benchmarks on which Congress has required the administration to measure progress there is not an attempt to reject the measures, Snow added. “The president is not repudiating the benchmarks.’’ He said. “Nor is Ambassador Crocker. What he is saying is there is other information he can bring in.’’
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Comments
Thanks to president Bush for clearing up all the doubts about how we'll know when we achieve victory in Iraq. I hope we have enough troops there now so some can drive for the end zone. Will we be able to score a touchdown for Exxon before the clock runs out on the Republicans?
Posted by: Tom O | July 20, 2007 10:15 AM
18 benchmarks 18 months left...maybe they'll meet one a month until this administration is over.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | July 20, 2007 10:18 AM
They're not moving the goalposts, they're taking them down altogether.
No matter what the report says, even if it says there is no progress whatsoever, this administration will keep our troops in harms way until they leave office.
They would rather allow more troops to die than admit error.
Posted by: tony | July 20, 2007 11:02 AM
Again, Bush is lying to and deceiving the American people about the diaster he has created in Iraq. Per the Joint Chiefs and the commanders on the ground, the goalposts are being moved back to November from September so more 'progress' toward these benchmarks can be shown. This illegitimate administration is so full of lies and deceit that they themselves do not know the truth.
Posted by: Doug R. | July 20, 2007 12:39 PM
They aren't moving the goal posts, because there never were any erected in the first place. They went into the occupation without any entrance strategy, much less an exit strategy. The wingnuts and chickenhawks will expect President CLinton to put up the goal posts, and then, when the ball goes through, the republitards will criticize her for something, anything, even though it was, is, and always will be President Shotgun Mcchainsaw's war, and the war of that other guy that likes to nap in the West Wing and choke on pretzels.
Posted by: snitramc | July 20, 2007 6:03 PM