Fact, Fallacy, and an Overall Grade of `F`

[IChing]

'Fact, Fallacy, and an Overall Grade of `F` is the description given by Anthony H. Cordesman of the Defense Department`s latest quarterly report to Congress on 'Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq.' The Center for Strategic and International Studies senior strategic thinker, long the most prescient on the Iraq crisis, says the DoD report is 'deeply flawed.' Cordesman goes on to say, 'It does more than simply spin the situation to provide false assurances. It makes basic analytical and statistical mistakes, fails to define key terms, provides undefined and unverifiable survey information, and deals with key issues by omission.' Wow! And this in the world`s greatest democracy.

Other Cordesman zingers:

*The economic analysis is flawed to the point of absurdity.

*A fundamentally false picture of the political situation in Iraq, and of the difficulties ahead. It does not prepare the Congress or the American people for the years of effort that will be needed even under `best case` conditions and the risk of far more serious forms of civil conflict.

*Very real progress in the development of Iraqi regular forces is exaggerated and the need for major continued support and aid is largely omitted.

*The basic problems in the police, justice system, and governance that represented a major threat and risk are omitted to the point where the analysis is so distorted as to be useless.

*The U.S. cannot afford to repeat the mistakes it made in Vietnam, says Cordesman, but 'lies by omission and spin' are taking America down the same road. The latest Quarterly report is both 'dishonest and incompetent, and is a serious indictment of the professional integrity and competence of every individual and agency involved in drafting it.'

>>>>snip http://news.monstersandcritics.com/northamerica/article_1170386.php/Commentary_Diplomacy_101_lies_and_spin


Of course this report was reported by reporters
on your local and national news

[IChing]

1. I know that this is not about gays, marriage or Ann

But this report was from the pentagon itself and it got no
comments......