The NEw York Times offers a report card on Iraq--the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I am surprised that almost all those who comment on the "success of the surge" ignore the other major factor of change at the same time, Sadr's stand-down orders.

The article offers a link to the GAO's latest assessment, "GAO-08-837 Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq: Progress Report: Some Gains Made, Updated Strategy Needed".

"...We agree with congressional investigators that American strategic planning is weak and Washington needs a new, long-term blueprint for Iraq that goes beyond July 2008 when the surge in troop levels is to end.

" As the report correctly notes, such a plan should "provide an estimate of the time and forces required to reach the conditions for mission success or termination."

" America has been in Iraq for more than five years now. It's time to accelerate serious thinking about how to bring the troops home and how to hand off responsibility for Iraq to the Iraqis.
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