Grim picture of Iraq from US watchdog

[cal04]

US government auditors released a grim report card of the American record in violence-wracked Iraq today, on the eve of President George W. Bush's televised rollout of a new strategy.

The report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) ran a critical rule over a previous failed US plan for victory, the malfunctioning Iraqi government and security forces and fearsome insurgent and sectarian violence.

It said the Pentagon had failed to allow proper congressional oversight of Iraqi armed forces, and warned of an increasing strain on US forces pressed into repeated tours of duty and shortages of military supplies.

Though admitting that Iraq experienced three successful elections, adopted a constitution and installed its first elected government since the 2003 US invasion, the report underlined systemic problems in the US record in the country.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21037523-1702,00.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Good for the G.A.O. Great article. Thanks. n/t

[bunyip]

2. And that from a verminous Murdoch rag...

The situation must be pretty bad.

[MadMaddie]

3. And I don't even think we are hearing the worst of it....we will

within the next year....

[LynnTheDem]

4. 1. Iraq had a top-notch Constitution BEFORE bush's war on Iraq.

2. The new "Constitution" allows for stoning of women for adultery -although with "only small stones". It's far worse a "constitution" than the people of Iraq already had.

3. Those "successful elections" were held under occupation, during war, with political parties that could not campaign.

Iraqis did not know who the people were within the parties, as the party candidates couldn't caucus due to the liklihood of being killed. Iraqis did not know the party platforms, as the parties couldn't campaign.

4. In other words, FACT IS, Iraqis are WORSE OFF NOW than they were under Saddam Hussein.

Period.

[rodeodance]

5. Hope it makes the headlines in US papers

[rodeodance]

6. Hope it makes the headlines in US papers

[rodeodance]

7. We are in a REAL MESS--and sounds like we will DIG deeper!!