Gao Report Shows that Iraqi Government is Not Living Up to Its Promises

GAO REPORT SHOWS THAT IRAQI GOVERNMENT IS NOT LIVING UP TO ITS PROMISES -- (House of Representatives - September 06, 2007)

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(Mr. HARE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, this week we finally got an objective analysis of the situation in Iraq. We shouldn't be surprised that it differs significantly from the status report from the White House last month, which painted a much rosier political and security scenario in Iraq. Nor should we be surprised if its conclusions are different from a final report that is scheduled to come from the President this week.

The GAO findings are not a surprise. When President Bush began this troop escalation plan, he promised this Congress that the Iraqis must meet these benchmarks, and, if they did not, they would lose the support of the American people.

Many of us who opposed the troop escalation plan were skeptical the Iraqis would be able to meet these benchmarks and that 30,000 more troops would bring about any real improvements in securing Iraq. The GAO report shows that our concerns were justified.

With the failure of the Iraqi Government to meet 15 of the 18 benchmarks, it is clear that a change of course is needed. I would hope that my Republican colleagues would stop blindly following President Bush and conclude, much as this Nation has, that it is time to begin bringing our troops home.

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