« previous | MUCK HOME | next »
Tony Snow: We Don't Need No Stinkin' Benchmarks!
Poor Carl Levin. First the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee insists on getting a list of the fabled "benchmarks" that President Bush said the Iraqi government had agreed to, only to see that the actual benchmarks are pretty insubstantial ("November 2006: Approve a Flag, Emblem and National Anthem Law") and none were met. Now, in his press briefing today, White House spokesman Tony Snow derided the very idea that the Iraqi government ought to be held to its stated commitments:
Q Tony, the President said in his speech on the 10th that America will hold the Iraqi government to the benchmarks it has announced. How do you follow through on that pledge if Iraq is not meeting its own target dates for certain pieces of legislation, they're not supplying troops into Baghdad at the numbers that were expected? What does the White House do to follow through?
MR. SNOW: I think the most important thing to do is to keep in mind what is, in fact, going on. For instance, yesterday, I think the Prime Minister stood up before everybody and said, "I call on you quickly to finish the preparations so we don't disappoint people." He also made the point that either we win or -- "Either we all win or we all lose. The whole world is watching us and expecting us to win."I think at this point, to try to start rendering summary judgment at the very beginning of an effort by the Iraqis not only to deal with matters of legislation, but also economic development and getting forces on the ground, and for that matter, getting their headquarters and command stood up, is a little premature. The other thing we've said is if it takes a couple extra days or weeks at one end or another, we're going to understand that.
The president, by contrast, said on January 10:
I've made it clear to the Prime Minister and Iraq's other leaders that America's commitment is not open-ended. If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people -- and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people. Now is the time to act.
Or, if it takes a couple extra days or weeks at one end or another, the time to act will be then.
Comments (32)
Ray R wrote on February 7, 2007 5:02 PM:Well, this is a another standard response from the Bush league White House. Talk about benchmarks that don't really exist so it makes it just that much easier to say we are winning when we get to move nonexistent benchmarks to our liking.
Guy F. wrote on February 7, 2007 5:25 PM:The reality is that there is not a functioning government in Iraq; only a bunch of figureheads holed up in an isolated fortress called the Green Zone. What the surge is about is trying buy time to establish an entirely new functioning government under a totalitarian executive to suppress sectarian differences within the government and slowly expand the rule of that new authority. The new government must then establish some beachhead beyond the Green Zone to demonstrate its power.
The Bush talk of requiring Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki to take a stand is really a challenge to see if he can consolidate enough power and become the dictatorial leader that Iraq needs. Democracy isn't working in Iraq and the Bush/Cheney view of an Imperial Executive fits right in with their need to establish a dictator controlling the disparate factions by fear and force.
The Press Corps getting the daily Snow job is just more of the usual casting of ambiguities over public policies to allow the real and secret policies time to play out.
In a way, Snowie's attitude toward the 'benchmarks' is at least honest--he reveals that they're completely meaningless. For all the constant talk about benchmarks from the WH, Congress and the media, there's surprisingly little expansion on what the hell a 'benchmark' means re: Iraq. How many of them does Iraq have to not meet for there to be consequences, and what are the consequences? Does anyone ever say? When I first heard about them, I thought the administration was just setting up a case to 'fire' Iraq if it didn't meet up to a performance agreement. And then we could get out and blame them. Now it seems much more absurd. We're 'laying down the law' that we'll never enforce to a country that never really agreed to abide by it. Obviously, the WH knows it's BS--I'm just disappointed when I hear the Democrats talk as if 'benchmarks' have any relation to reality...
NEVERvoteRepublicanAgain wrote on February 7, 2007 5:31 PM:No Tony, you don't need bench marks. You and the whole Bush crime family have been so accurate in your predictions about Iraq that of course we just hang on your every word.
How stupid do you take the American public for Mr. Snowjob? There are many of us that you can not fool no matter how hard you try and how many lies you tell.
How does it feel to be the Mess (I mean Press) Secretary to the worst, most corrupt administration in the history of America? That will look great on your resume, Press Secretary to the Worst President, George Walker Bush, in the history of America. Lie on, Mr. Snowjob, we are not believing a word you say.
markg8 wrote on February 7, 2007 7:56 PM:Wasn't it Warner who set out a series of benchmarks last fall Iraqis were supposed to meet by January? What happened to them?
Richard L. Adlof wrote on February 7, 2007 10:37 PM:Congress needs to defund the White House in the next budget. Congress needs to pay the two Constitutionally mandated jobs but the rest iis accessory. Imagine the Chimp and the Penguin answering phones and giving their own press conferences.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on February 8, 2007 1:07 AM:Has any one else noticed that it takes less and less time to hate each successive Press Secretary.
MarchDancer wrote on February 8, 2007 1:51 AM:Mr. Adlof, I do not believe it takes less time to hate each press secretary. I do, however, believe that it takes less and less time to recognize the lack of respect each press secretary of the BushCo Administration has for the rest of the country: reporters, citizens, elected officials, and even the populations of other countries interested in the outcome of our current destruction of another country.
Jan wrote on February 8, 2007 9:09 AM:wow, de-funding the White House! Now that's a great idea. Can that actually be done?
john jay wrote on February 8, 2007 9:14 AM:Growing up in the fifties meant you were forced into hours of playing the game " mother may I " which was all about one step forward three steps back.How could I have known it was meant to prepare me for adult life. A glimmer of hope than those hopes dashed by the kid calling the shots.
Yellow Dog wrote on February 8, 2007 11:07 AM:Defund the White House! Brilliant!
It might even stop the surge. Would Smirky and Darth even be able to operate the phones without staff?
Spread the meme today to everyone you know, starting with your Congress critters.
Ken McKinney wrote on February 8, 2007 11:12 AM:The last one leaving the country, please turn off the lights.
3reddogs wrote on February 8, 2007 11:16 AM:I agree with what "Nevervote..." says, Mr. Snow is not truthful at all.
I know I am dreaming but just once when Mr. Snow opens his mouth, I wish someone in that press corp would just call him the liar that he is.
"Nevervote..." this is what you get for falling for the c-student (twice) instead of the class egghead or true Vietnam-ear War Veteran.
What a mess. I'm looking for my flip-flops and going to the beach.
If Tony Snow had even an OUNCE of integrity he'd quit his job and go back to Fox News (which, on the International Integrity Scale, would finally lift him UP to something just below whale shit). The fact that he continues to stand in front of the members of the press day after day spouting half-truths, distortions and outright lies speaks volumes, I think, about Mr. Snow's character. I'd suggest he look into a career selling snake oil when Bush leaves office but I don't want to get in trouble with LOPSOS (League of Professional Snake Oil Salesmen), which has its good reputation to protect.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on February 8, 2007 1:58 PM:MarchDancer,
You are correct . . . Snow left the Fox Opinion-Cast station already despised by me and whole bunches of other folk cuz of his crap-arse attitude towards the intelligence of the American people. He had a running start down the rabbit hole . . .
Props for calling this one.
hillary@hotmail.com wrote on April 26, 2007 12:09 PM:penis to large for vagina
kate@gmail.com wrote on April 30, 2007 2:06 PM:hello
tom@gmail.com wrote on May 1, 2007 2:49 AM:hello
juddy@gmail.com wrote on May 6, 2007 2:25 PM:hello
juddy@gmail.com wrote on May 6, 2007 2:25 PM:hello
juddy@gmail.com wrote on May 6, 2007 2:25 PM:hello
Ellis Lindquist wrote on May 21, 2007 7:17 AM:Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...
Ellis Lindquist wrote on May 21, 2007 7:19 AM:Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...
Heath Shah wrote on May 21, 2007 8:24 AM:Classical singer Russell Watson postpones his forthcoming UK tour after undergoing brain surgery...
Maurice Lytle wrote on May 22, 2007 1:41 PM:The first stage of a £150m investment in regional museums is praised for boosting visitor numbers.
Elliott Anthony wrote on May 22, 2007 2:42 PM:Borat creator Sacha Baron Cohen reportedly signs a $42.5m (£22m) film deal starring his character Bruno.
bruce@aol.com wrote on May 23, 2007 10:21 AM:cialis forum
bruce@aol.com wrote on May 23, 2007 10:21 AM:cialis forum
bruce@aol.com wrote on May 23, 2007 10:21 AM:cialis forum
Aurora Snow wrote on August 11, 2007 8:25 PM:Aurora Snow
Lenka Garborova wrote on August 11, 2007 8:45 PM:Lenka Garborova
pornstar wrote on August 11, 2007 9:26 PM:pornstar
Austin Kinkaid wrote on August 11, 2007 10:00 PM:Austin Kinkaid
wvdqjgiua irbyswpa wrote on August 24, 2007 3:25 PM:fzecoxsl vdtkiz sxdohpfca uhceqobzl rdkw jeutcyk uhszatk