I’m getting dozens of hits daily from people still looking for the list of the “18 benchmarks” for Iraq success, as enumerated in the recently passed Troop Readiness and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, H.R. 2206.
Click here to see the official list.
The news media referred thousands of times to the fact that 18 benchmarks exist. It’s too bad they didn’t bother to tell us what the benchmarks are.
Frank Warner
See also: 12 of the 18 Iraq benchmarks for success have been met.
Update: It’s 15 of 18 now. Significant progress has been seen in achieving 15 of the 18 benchmarks for Iraq’s success. In July 2008, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad released its report finding that Iraq had not made significant progress only in the areas of benchmarks (iii), (vii) and (xi).
Those three poor marks indicate Iraq’s failure to enact and implement laws on fairly dividing up Iraq’s oil revenue; failure to disarm all militias and insurgent groups; and failure to improved the professionalism and even-handedness of the Iraqi police.
But in every other category, Iraq was making progress, as of May 2008, when the review was made. In July 2008, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad released its report finding that Iraq had not made significant progress only in the areas of benchmarks (iii), (vii) and (xi).
Those three poor marks indicate Iraq’s failure to enact and implement laws on fairly dividing up Iraq’s oil revenue; failure to disarm all militias and insurgent groups; and failure to improved the professionalism and even-handedness of the Iraqi police.
But in every other category, Iraq was making progress.
It's funny how little debate or discussion there was over what the benchmarks should actually be, way too much focus on the political battle.
On a related note, what version of the bill on THOMAS is definitive? The public print matches the first house version, but the enrolled version is different.
Posted by: BJCefola | June 02, 2007 at 03:12 AM
Let me check ... I can't just give you a link because Thomas lets its links expire ...
Thanks for asking!
Reviewing the Library of Congress “Thomas” listing of bills, I found the FINAL final version of the bill, H.R. 2206, that includes the 18 benchmarks.
The bill, now law, is the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)[H.R.2206.ENR].
The act actually calls the benchmarks “benchmarks” in final form. Here they are, from Section 1314(b)(1)(a), from “i” to “xviii.”
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Posted by: Frank Warner | June 02, 2007 at 05:09 AM