NYT: Parts of Iraq Report Are Grim Where Bush Was Upbeat

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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/washington/15prexy.html?ref=world

Parts of Iraq Report Are Grim Where Bush Was Upbeat


By JIM RUTENBERG
Published: July 15, 2007

WASHINGTON, July 13 — The mixed progress report on Iraq that the White House submitted to Congress this week included several grim assessments of the Iraqi government that contrasted with the more upbeat public statements of President Bush, his top aides and public White House briefing materials in the past few weeks.

In several recent cases, the White House discussed progress toward benchmarks that the review found unsatisfactory.

Two weeks ago, when a reporter asked Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, for “any signs they are making progress in any way,” he said, “We do know that they are obviously working toward oil law and distribution laws,” and added, “but it’s a parliamentary process.” The Americans and the Iraqis consider the proposed Iraqi law to distribute evenly oil revenues throughout the country to be a crucial salve for internal division.

When the reporter followed up by saying, “That doesn’t sound like any progress,” Mr. Snow responded, “It may not, but on the other hand, it could.”

A few weeks earlier, when a reporter traveling with Mr. Bush in Europe asked him if he had seen any progress toward national reconciliation in Iraq, he said, “Yes, look, they’re close to getting an oil deal done.”

But in addressing progress toward the oil law, the report concluded, “The current status is unsatisfactory, but it is too early to tell whether the government of Iraq will enact and implement legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources to all Iraqis.”

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