Friday, September 7, 2007
Tuesday, Sept. 11, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hear testimony from General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker on Iraq’s progress in meeting its benchmarks. Congress laid out these progress points in May as part of a $120 billion package to fund the war. Early predictions are pessimistic. Iraq has failed to meet 15 of the 18 benchmarks, according to the Government Accountability Office. While it was nearly impossible for Iraq to meet all of these benchmarks, Iraq’s government should prove its worth before the U.S. provides any more financial or military assistance.
The benchmarks range in complexity and importance. Some of the most-debated ones include reversing legislation that bars ex-Baathists from running for office; passing an oil revenue-sharing law; holding provincial elections to encourage Sunni involvement; and improving infrastructure. The White House has been critical of these benchmarks, claiming that they put stress on Gen. Petraeus and force the ground commander to work under unrealistic parameters.
The consequences for Iraq should they fail to meet these benchmarks are vague. Nothing concrete has been passed in the legislature. The consequences could theoretically entail troop withdrawal or withholding funds for the war. Critics suggest that funding for troops should not be tied to the progress or failure of Iraq’s government. All the same, there must be some repercussions, or else the entire point of benchmarks becomes mute.
The overall consensus in Washington is that the war in Iraq must be won. Yet descriptions of what entails winning are vague. Security, freedom and terrorism are mentioned frequently, but solid caveats are avoided.
In order to avoid a permanent troop presence in Iraq, more pressure must be put on the Iraqi government and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. There is only so much that America can do militarily to ensure Iraq’s stability. Politically, the future security of Iraq must come from within. Its own government must take responsibility for the country. In turn, Congress should take steps to reward Iraq when it meets milestones, and sufficiently punish the country when it fails to do so. If the Iraqi government has no incentive to improve, it will not do so.
Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will have their chance to defend America’s Iraq policy. Granted, there have been victories. The troop surge has increased stability in the Anbar province, for instance. However, endless troops and funding will
matter for nothing if Iraq’s government doesn’t fulfill its own obligations.
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