Iraq Survey Group

I haven'€™t started reading the ISG
Report yet. Maybe I'€™ll have some time this weekend to get to it, but I
doubt it. Probably, it will be the middle part of next week before I'€™ve
even made a dent in it.

But, sometimes I just think, "€œwhy bother?"€ Given all the opinion
pieces, reports, and criticisms that have been written in the past 24
hours, I guess it'€™s a good thing that so much of the report was leaked.
Or, was it really leaked? I don'€™t know. I haven'€™t had time to read the
report, much less compare it to all of the pre-release news reports
that originated from "€œsources close to the ISG"€ over the past couple of
weeks. Plus, I imagine that most of the writers who have already
weighed in on the report have not had the time to read the report
either. But in this day and age, much of what passes for informed
reporting is just warmed over talking points, and agenda-driven drivel.
The stories might even have been written before the release of the
report --€” just needed a little tweaking.

One report that I generally give credibility to is from Wretchard of Belmont Club. And even his report only talks about 3 or 4 of the dozens of recommendations in the report.

the principal utility of this report is its succinct
description of the internal and external players in Iraq and an outline
of their respective goals, many of which are malevolent. As a guide to
the game the ISG Report is first rate.

Unless you'€™ve been reading a lot from the mil-bloggers over the past
couple of years, you likely haven'€™t a clue as to who is doing what to
whom in Iraq. And, if your information has come largely from the media,
what you know is limited to what reporters can glean from within the
Bagdhad green zone, from stringers, and from sources which may or may
not be reliable. So, having a "€œsuccint description"€ of those involved
is a great start.

Given the complexity of the problems, the large number of
recommendations, and the lack of concensus on even basic points of our
involvement in the Middle East, is it any wonder that the President has
not fully embraced the recommendations in the report? It is surprising
to me that he would come under criticism for not doing so, when the ink
is barely dry on the report, and so many of his would-be critics
haven'€™t even read it.