Bush: Iraq benchmarks “make sense”
President Bush, in a political shift, said Thursday that setting benchmarks to measure progress in Iraq “makes sense” in working out an agreement with Congress on a military spending bill.
The idea of “benchmarks” has been raised by members of both parties in the Senate as a means to put pressure on the Iraqi government to bringing political stability to the country.
Most discussions of benchmarks have involved the Iraqis passing a new oil-sharing bill, updating the Iraqi constitution, and holding provincial elections.
Until now, the Bush administration has rejected the idea of including benchmarks in a funding bill, which has won steady support from many Democrats and Republicans.
“One message I have heard from people of both parties is that benchmarks makes sense, and I agree,” he said. “It makes sense to make benchmarks part of our discussion on how to go forward.”
Speaking to reporters after a briefing at the Pentagon, Bush said he had asked his chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, to “find common ground” with Congress on benchmarks.
Bolten is negotiating with members of Congress on a new funding bill to replace one vetoed by Bush last week. The president said Bolten will “continue to have dialogue” with members of both parties on the issue.
The president’s remarks came day after reports that 11 moderate Republican members of Congress held a blunt meeting with Bush in the White House to express growing concern over the war and to warn that his political support was eroding.
In his comments to reporters on Thursday, Bush quickly dismissed the idea, backed by many House Democrats, of a funding bill that would dispense resources in two stages. Congress would subject release of the second stage to another vote
Democrats see the vehicle as a means to put pressure on Bush over his management of the war and to press for him to begin withdrawing troops.
“We reject that idea. It won’t work,” the president said.
Stumble it!