[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18474]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                  ADMINISTRATION'S BENCHMARKS ON IRAQ

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday the President will issue an 
interim report on the Iraqi government's success or failure meeting the 
benchmarks. But prior to taking a look at that report, we have another 
set of benchmarks to look at; that is, the benchmarks for President 
Bush's administration and what they've done on the Iraqi policy.
  When the war began, The White House said that Americans would be 
greeted as liberators. That's not happening.
  Next we were told oil revenues would finance the reconstruction of 
the Iraqi society. Not happening.
  Then we were told that the insurgency was in its last throes. Not 
happening.
  Then we were told that we were planting a democracy in the heart of 
the Mideast. Not happening.
  At every turn, the administration's benchmarks for the Iraqi strategy 
have failed to meet their own measure of success. And the American 
people have been asked to pay for this failure.
  Two years ago, we were spending $5 billion a month in Iraq. It is now 
reported that we're up to $10 billion a month in resources, not 
counting the amount of lives we lose on a monthly basis.
  Mr. Speaker, we've waited long enough. The President's strategy of 
more troops, more time, more money and more of the same has run its 
course. It's time for a new direction.

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