Initial Benchmark Assessment Report

The Initial Benchmark Assessment Report (released July 12, 2007) was the interim report released by U.S. Army general David Petraeus on progress by the Iraqi government in the ongoing Iraq War. The report indicated that on eight of twenty benchmarks the government had made a satisfactory level of progress. On two benchmarks, there was some progress. An additional six benchmarks enjoyed satisfactory progress. Two benchmarks remained too early to assess. [National Public Radio, [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11903213#11911774 White House Assesses Iraq Benchmarks] , July 12, 2007.] Petraeus' final report in Iraq was due in September, 2007. On August 15, 2007, the "Los Angeles Times" reported that " [d] espite Bush's repeated statements that the report will reflect evaluations by Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, administration officials said it would actually be written by the White House, with inputs from officials throughout the government." [ [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-pullback15aug15,0,4840766.story?page=1&coll=la-home-center%2F "Top General May Propose Pullbacks." "Los Angeles Times." 15 Aug 2007.] retrieved 16 Aug 2007.] However, Petraeus elaborated that his own testimony to Congress, given prior to the final report that the White House was supposed to deliver, "has not been cleared by, nor shared with, anyone in the Pentagon, the White House, or Congress." [ [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/Petraeus-Testimony20070910.pdf "Report to Congress on the Situation in Iraq." 10 Sept 2007.] retrieved 10 Sept 2007.]

Reactions

Reactions to the report split roughly along party lines. President George W. Bush stressed that progress was being made in Iraq and said that Congress should wait until the release of Petraeus' final report before any decisions about the withdrawal of forces. The same day, the U.S. House voted largely along party lines to approve legislation requiring withdrawal of forces within 120 days. [Michael Abramowitz and Jonathan Weisman, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071200736.html?hpid=topnews President Unbowed as Benchmarks Are Unmet: House Votes to Begin Iraq Pullout This Year] , Washington Post, July 13, 2007.] Democratic Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton criticized the report. Obama indicated that satisfactory benchmarks were all non-substantive achievements that required only meetings and minor agreements. Clinton said the report was an effort at face-saving and that the situation had to be addressed politically. [Mark Murray, [http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/12/268416.aspx Obama, Clinton on Iraq Report] , MSNBC, July 12, 2007.]

ee also

*Report to Congress on the Situation in Iraq

References

External links

* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070712.html Full text of the report]