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ORIGINAL: dcnovice

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ORIGINAL: TreasureKY

What is interesting is how people choose to interpret what they read.  

That's certainly true. It's why good writers and editors strive for clarity (unless ambiguity is part of the artistic effect, of course).

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ORIGINAL: farglebargle

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ORIGINAL: caitlyn

The mission, was to lower American casualties, promote greater stability, lower the influx of munitions from Iran, and speed the transition of day-to-day military operations, to Iraqi forces.

Wrong.

Under Public Law 110-28, the benchmarks were:

1. Forming a Constitutional Review Committee and then completing the constitutional review.
2. Enacting and implementing legislation on de-Ba’athification.
3. Enacting and implementing legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources of the people of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients, and enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the energy resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Kurds, and other Iraqi citizens in an equitable manner.
4. Enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form semi-autonomous regions.
5. Enacting and implementing legislation establishing an Independent High Electoral Commission, provincial elections law, provincial council authorities, and a date for provincial elections.
6. Enacting and implementing legislation addressing amnesty.
7. Enacting and implementing legislation establishing a strong militia disarmament program to ensure that such security forces are
accountable only to the central government and loyal to the Constitution of Iraq.
8. Establishing supporting political, media, economic, and services committees in support of the Baghdad security plan.
9. Providing three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support Baghdad operations.
10. Providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and to make tactical and operational decisions, in consultation with U.S.
commanders, without political intervention, to include the authority to pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias.
11. Ensuring that the Iraqi security forces are providing even-handed enforcement of the law.
12. Ensuring that, according to President Bush, Prime Minister Maliki said ‘‘the Baghdad security plan will not provide a safe haven for
any outlaws, regardless of [their] sectarian or political affiliation.’’
13. Reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq and eliminating militia control of local security.
14. Establishing all of the planned joint security stations in neighborhoods across Baghdad.
15. Increasing the number of Iraqi security forces’ units capable of operating independently.
16. Ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected.
17. Allocating and spending $10 billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects, including delivery of essential services, on an equitable basis.
18. Ensuring that Iraq’s political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the Iraqi security forces.

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You and Petronius have set your own benchmarks

CONGRESS makes the Law.

They are the benchmarks set in US LAW.

If you're going to participate in this discussion, shouldn't you *ALREADY* know this?

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ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY brayed, like a jackass

Please provide a link to Public Law 110-28 which provides the exact bench marks you reference above.

From an official government source, please.

Firm

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Sec. 1314. (a) Findings Regarding Progress in Iraq, the Establishment of Benchmarks to Measure That Progress, and Reports to Congress.--Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Over 145,000 American military personnel are currently serving in Iraq, like thousands of others since March 2003, with
the bravery and professionalism consistent with the finest traditions of the United States Armed Forces, and are deserving
of the strong support of all Americans.
(2) Many American service personnel have lost their lives, and many more have been wounded in Iraq; the American people
will always honor their sacrifice and honor their families.
(3) The United States Army and Marine Corps, including their Reserve components and National Guard organizations,

[[Page 121 STAT. 122]]

together with components of the other branches of the military, are performing their missions while under enormous strain from
multiple, extended deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. These deployments, and those that will follow, will have a lasting
impact on future recruiting, retention, and readiness of our Nation's all volunteer force.
(4) Iraq is experiencing a deteriorating problem of sectarian and intrasectarian violence based upon political
distrust and cultural differences among factions of the Sunni and Shia populations.
(5) Iraqis must reach political and economic settlements in order to achieve reconciliation, for there is no military
solution. The failure of the Iraqis to reach such settlements to support a truly unified government greatly contributes to the
increasing violence in Iraq.
(6) The responsibility for Iraq's internal security and halting sectarian violence rests with the sovereign Government
of Iraq.
(7) In December 2006, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group issued a valuable report, suggesting a comprehensive strategy that
includes new and enhanced diplomatic and political efforts in Iraq and the region, and a change in the primary mission of U.S.
forces in Iraq, that will enable the United States to begin to move its combat forces out of Iraq responsibly.
(8) The President said on January 10, 2007, that ``I've made it clear to the Prime Minister and Iraq's other leaders that
America's commitment is not open-ended'' so as to dispel the contrary impression that exists.
(9) It is essential that the sovereign Government of Iraq set out measurable and achievable benchmarks and President Bush
said, on January 10, 2007, that ``America will change our approach to help the Iraqi government as it works to meet these
benchmarks''.
(10) As reported by Secretary of State Rice, Iraq's Policy Committee on National Security agreed upon a set of political,
security, and economic benchmarks and an associated timeline in September 2006 that were: (A) reaffirmed by Iraq's Presidency
Council on October 6, 2006; (B) referenced by the Iraq Study Group; and (C) posted on the President of Iraq's Web site.
(11) On April 21, 2007, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that ``our [American] commitment to Iraq is long-term,
but it is not a commitment to have our young men and women patrolling Iraq's streets open-endedly'' and that ``progress in
reconciliation will be an important element of our evaluation''.
(12) The President's January 10, 2007, address had three components: political, military, and economic. Given that
significant time has passed since his statement, and recognizing the overall situation is ever changing, Congress must have
timely reports to evaluate and execute its constitutional oversight responsibilities.

(b) Conditioning of Future United States Strategy in Iraq on the Iraqi Government's Record of Performance on Its Benchmarks.--
(1) In general.--

[[Page 121 STAT. 123]]

(A) The United States strategy in Iraq, hereafter, shall be conditioned on the Iraqi government meeting
benchmarks, as told to members of Congress by the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of
Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and reflected in the Iraqi Government's commitments to
the United States, and to the international community, including:
(i) Forming a Constitutional Review Committee and then completing the constitutional review.

(ii) Enacting and implementing legislation on de-Baathification.

(iii) Enacting and implementing legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources of the people of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients, and enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the energy resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Kurds, and other Iraqi citizens in an equitable manner.

(iv) Enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form semi-autonomous regions.

(v) Enacting and implementing legislation establishing an Independent High Electoral Commission, provincial elections law, provincial council authorities, and a date for provincial elections.

(vi) Enacting and implementing legislation addressing amnesty.

(vii) Enacting and implementing legislation establishing a strong militia disarmament program to ensure that such security forces are accountable only to the central government and loyal to the Constitution of Iraq.

(viii) Establishing supporting political, media, economic, and services committees in support of the Baghdad Security Plan.

(ix) Providing three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support Baghdad operations.

(x) Providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and to make tactical and operational decisions, in consultation with U.S commanders, without political intervention, to include the authority to pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias.

(xi) Ensuring that the Iraqi Security Forces are providing even handed enforcement of the law.

(xii) Ensuring that, according to President Bush, Prime Minister Maliki said ``the Baghdad security plan will not provide a safe haven for any outlaws, regardless of [their] sectarian or political affiliation''.

(xiii) Reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq and eliminating militia control of local security.

(xiv) Establishing all of the planned joint security stations in neighborhoods across Baghdad.

(xv) Increasing the number of Iraqi security forces units capable of operating independently.

(xvi) Ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected.

[[Page 121 STAT. 124]]

(xvii) Allocating and spending $10 billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects, including delivery of essential services, on an equitable basis.

(xviii) Ensuring that Iraq's political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the Iraqi Security Forces.

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ORIGINAL: TreasureKY
Goodness... only you would consider providing a link that was politely requested as some kind of triumphant victory. You'd think it was something new for you to be able to do so.

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I resent the implication that I am either dishonest or lack integrity, and will defend myself against any and all claims.

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ORIGINAL: farglebargle

The citation was only requested as a way of implying that I fabricated or exaggerated my claim, and throwing my reputation and credibility into question. If FHKY gave a shit about the facts in the matter, he should have DONE HIS OWN FUCKING RESEARCH INTO THE CLAIM ***BEFORE*** questioning my honor. Then he wouldn't look like such a moron, given the ease and availability of the information support my claim.

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ORIGINAL: luckydog1

Yet if anyone wants to read all of the section (1314) Farg is snipping from, you see the real problem.  Farg is right the benchmarks are set in public law.  Farg is making up his own version of what the penalty for not getting good marks at the Sept 15th date is. 

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What exactly is your delusion regarding this farg?

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ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY

Thanks Lucky,

That covers the core of it, although, as a "Constitutional scholar" of repute within his own mind, I had some other questions for fargle, some of them which you covered:

1.  What was the President required to do - exactly - if Iraq failed to meet any or all of the "benchmarks"?

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2.  When does/did the Public Law expire?

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3.  In the Constitution, which branch has responsibility for the Armed Forces?

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4.  Which part of the Constitution or Federal Law gives Congress the authority to plan and execute military operations?

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ORIGINAL: luckydog1

You have to realise Firm, this is probably the closest Farg has ever come to being able to back up one of his claims with a real source.  It seems to have really excited him.  He forced to you eat his load as his bitch or something in his view.  When in reality he made claims that he could only back up by editing a pulbic law, and posting a snippet.  Thats a win in his book, I suppose...

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ORIGINAL: luckydog1

"SINCE YOU FUCKED UP SUPPORTING AND ASSESSING THE SURGE, WHY SHOULD *ANYONE* GIVE CREDIBILITY TO *ANYTHING* YOU SAY, UNTIL AND UNLESS YOU CONVINCE US YOU'VE LEARNED FROM YOUR ERROR?"

Whom exactly is the "us" you refer to in your shouting?

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you conclude it was a failure