GAO: US missed all but 3 of 18 benchmarks in Iraq

A report long-awaited by most analysts, due to its more objective nature than the Petraeus testimony, finds that the situation in Iraq continues to get a failing grade.  A draft of a GAO report that will be released next week shows that 15 of the 18 benchmarks for success have not been met:

The strikingly negative GAO draft, which will be delivered to Congressin final form Tuesday, comes as the White House prepares to deliver itsown new benchmarks report the second week of September, along withcongressional testimony from the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. DavidPetraeus, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. They are expected to describesignificant security improvements.

The draft provides a harshassessment of the tactical effects of the current U.S.-ledcounteroffensive to secure Baghdad. "While the Baghdad security planwas intended to reduce sectarian violence, U.S. agencies differ onwhether such violence has been reduced," it states. While there havebeen fewer attacks against U.S. forces, it notes, the number of attacksagainst Iraqi civilians remains unchanged. It also finds that "thecapabilities of Iraqi security forces have not improved."

"Overall," the report concludes, "key legislation has not been passed,violence remains high, and it is unclear whether the Iraqi governmentwill spend $10 billion in reconstruction funds," as promised. While itmakes no policy recommendations, the draft suggests that futureadministration assessments "would be more useful" if they backed uptheir judgments with more details and "provided data on broadermeasures of violence from all relevant U.S. agencies."

A report conducted last month by the White House found that 8 of the 18 benchmarks had been met.  So what are the 18 benchmarks that the Administration set?  Here is the list.

This comes on the heels of the news that Bush will ask Congress for at least $50 billion more in war funding.