Yup, we're making progress in Iraq. Gens. George Casey and John Abizaid appearing before the Senate admitted that we seem to be back sliding in Iraq.

Casey and Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, said the number of Iraqi security battalions able to operate on their own without U.S. forces had declined in recent months. Of the roughly 100 Iraqi battalions, only one was able to operate independently, down from three, they said, but did not elaborate.

'We fully recognize that Iraqi armed forces will not have an independent capability for some time, because they don't have the institutional base to support them,' Casey said.

That's right we've turned the corner, except fewer Iraqi troops are able to operate on their own than the last time the Pentagon was held accountable.

And remember Wolfowitz's assertion that the Iraqis would be able to pay for things like security, new cars, electrical plants, water treatment plants, and health care with all that oil money? Well, that was just wishful thinking.

Casey also said the Iraqi government had been unable to pay an unspecified number of the 67,000 Iraqi police, who are among the 192,000 U.S.-trained Iraqi forces.

I'm sure the fat cat cronies at Haliburton and Bechtel got paid though for all that "reconstruction" they've been doing.

Just imagine how bad things could be going in Iraq if we hadn't had that accountability moment last November. Just imagine if that guy with a "plan" had been elected. I mean really.

posted by Idle Crank at 9/30/2005 04:54:00 AM