Okay, so the preliminary report last month said the Iraq Parliament hasn't reached their benchmarks. Fair enough. They have until September to meet the benchmarks that the BUSH ADMINISTRATION SET. Not Democratic benchmarks, administration benchmarks.
And so Dick Cheney was sent to Iraq to kick some ass and take some names. Iraq gave Cheney the attention he so richly deserves. Iraq Legislators went on vacation.
Of course, a lot of Americans can't afford to take a month long vacation. And 120,000 or so Americans will be busy during that month long vacation taking bullets for the legislators. But hey, that's the breaks.
So it was a two-fer. Iraq isn't going to meet our benchmarks, and the "law-makers" aren't going to stay in the city - because, well - except for the American troops, everyone wants to get the hell out or kill each other.
But!!!! But!!!!
What do you want to bet that the General David Petraeus is "Optimistic" (July 12, 2007)
"Huge Progress" is being made in training the troops (Nov 5, 2005 <-2005!!!)
Patraeus might see "SOLID PROGRESS' IN IRAQ" (March 21, 2005)
or maybe
"But what I would say is that there has been enormous progress just in the seven or eight months that we've actually been recruiting, training, equipping and employing Iraqi security forces. Huge progress." (March 1, 2004)