Crocker calls it on the benchmarks. Time of Death: July 19.

Here's a question: Why do we need to wait until September (or now November according to Odierno) for a report on Iraq's progress when the top US politician in Iraq told us yesterday that there would be none?

The US ambassador to Baghdad Thursday warned Iraq was unlikely to hit its targets under the American "troop surge" plan by September, but said he knew of no 'Plan B' alternative war strategy.....

A US defense official said Crocker made clear "the benchmarks are going to be difficult to meet in all likelihood by September, and we should all be cognizant of that fact."

But we have to wait until September, right?