Iraq Index

Today on NPR’s morning edition, there was a piece on the Brookings Institution’s Iraq Index. I was not familiar with it, but found their method of measuring our success in Iraq to be compelling. More specifically, they make a compelling case that our reconstruction effort is not succeeding.

In their own words, the Iraq Index

is a statistical compilation of economic, public opinion, and security data. This resource will provide updated information on various criteria, including crime, telephone and water service, troop fatalities, unemployment, Iraqi security forces, oil production, and coalition troop strength.

The index is designed to quantify the rebuilding efforts and offer an objective set of criteria for benchmarking performance. It is the first in-depth, non-partisan assessment of American efforts in Iraq, and is based primarily on U.S. government information.

I do not rejoice in the fact that our reconstruction efforts in Iraq appear to be a failure. Rather, I am grateful that there is reliable information to demonstrate the failings of the current strategy in order to make a compelling case that a change in course is needed.