DNC: White House Blatantly Edits GAO Report on Iraq

[bigtree]

September 4, 2007 at 03:30 PM
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Last week, a leaked report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that Iraq has failed to meet 15 of 18 benchmarks for political and military progress. (http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/08/draft_of_report.php)

The report was leaked by an official who feared the White House would water down its grim assessment of the situation in Iraq. Now, it appears that the official was right.


From the Associated Press: (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq)

Baghdad has not met 11 of its 18 political and security goals, according to a new independent report on Iraq that challenges President Bush's assessment on the war.

The study, conducted by the Government Accountability Office, was slightly more upbeat than initially planned. After receiving substantial resistance from the White House, the GAO determined that four benchmarks--instead of two--had been partially met.


Let's do the math. According to the original report, the Iraqi government met only 3 of 15 benchmarks. After the White House intervened, the Iraqi government was given "partial credit" for 4 more benchmarks.

A headline about the original report would have read: "Iraq hasn't met 15 of 18 benchmarks." Now the Associated Press headline reads: "Iraq hasn't met 11 of 18 benchmarks." A significant--and blatant--difference.


http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/09/white_house_bla.php

[wicket]

1. K & R

:kick:

[Drifter]

2. Maybe they are ...

grading it on a curve.

Cheers
Drifter

[Supersedeas]

3. you can be Katie Lipstick Couric will put a smiley face on this report

[killbotfactory]

4. criminals

worthless fucking criminals.

[rodeodance]

5. umm. at the hearing on cspan3 just now Walker said they got new information

from the time draft was written. july 31.

[Spazito]

6. It is more the AP, as usual, put a more positive spin on the report

than any major change. The report states:

3 benchmarks met
4 benchmarks partially met
11 benchmarks not met



Report found at talkingpointsmemo:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/gao-report/?resultpage=2&

[superkia]

7. Im glad someone else noticed that!

It started that they had only met 3 and then the next day I believe it was 5 and today I saw it was up to 11? I thought the same thing, what the hell is going on here? Do people in America really not pay any attention to whats going on around them?

[robinlynne]

10. unfortunately, people in america do not pay attention to what is going on...

[doublethink]

8. And soon to be reported by FOX News ........

From this lie ....... "Iraq hasn't met 11 of 18 benchmarks." to this lie.......

IRAQ HAS MET 7 BENCHMARKS !!!! THE SURGE IS WORKING !!!! hip hip hooray !!!!! , wait for it, it's coming .... :eyes:

[Exultant Democracy]

9. I heard NPR mention the 11-18 number today without saying anything about the leak

even though they mentioned the leak last week. Blink your eyes and history changes.

[bigtree]

12. they repeat the lie over and over

and it becomes shorthand for the truth

[creeksneakers2]

11. Past administrations and Congresses

maintained the independence of the GAO. Bush respects nothing.

[ck4829]

13. K&R

[spanone]

14. Our government routinely lies to us.....fuckers