[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23545]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                GAO REPORT FINDS LITTLE PROGRESS IN IRAQ

  (Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. YARMUTH. Madam Speaker, President Bush continues to ignore 
reality in Iraq, instead glossing over the deteriorating situation 
while asking for more money from Congress and more personal sacrifice 
from our troops.
  A report released by the White House in July claimed that progress 
had been made on eight of the 18 benchmarks mandated by the Congress. 
But a new, unbiased report from the GAO shows that the situation is 
even worse than the White House led us to believe.
  According to the GAO report, Iraq has failed to meet all but three of 
the 18 benchmarks required for political and military progress in Iraq. 
Some of the report's most disconcerting findings include the fact that 
the capabilities of Iraqi security forces have not improved and that 
violence remains high.
  Madam Speaker, with the release of this discouraging and objective 
report, Republicans in this body must decide whether to continue 
rubber-stamping the President's failed policy in Iraq or begin working 
with Democrats to bring our troops home.

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