I agree with Bush & Rice on Benchmarks in Iraq

[yurbud]

Rice just said that Bush won't accept a bill with benchmarks in addition to not accepting a timeline.

I think the timeline is a great idea, but the benchmarks essentially mean establishing an effective puppet government, most obviously in the shameful support for the big oil drafted and Bush forced on Iraqis Hydrocarbon Law.

Likewise, the troop and police training stuff is meant to serve our interests not theirs. If Iraqis perceived that the troops and cops were acting in Iraqis best interests, there would be no stigma for joining, and no hesitation for doing their job correctly. Instead, off-duty cops & troops are in danger of being killed, and constantly wondering if this arrest or this firefight is really helping their family and country or helping the occupiers.

Bush doesn't like the benchmarks because he doesn't like any adult supervision.

I don't like them because they perpetuate the lie that we are there to help the Iraqis while demanding Bush do a more effective job of screwing them.

If we had any benchmarks at all, they should be for restoring running water and sewer service, turning over rebuilding contracts to Iraqis, defunding and withdrawal of mercenaries, and returning control of Iraq's oil to Iraqi sovereignty with no discussion with American government officials about how to organize their oil industry and terms of oil laws or deals, and no American government officials involved in negotiation oil contracts.