Last week I caught Paul Bremer moving the goalposts regarding restoration of power in Iraq. Today yankeedoodle at Daily War News points out that Bremer now says Iraqi oil production will return to prewar levels by October 2004 (revised from September 2003 after that date was substituted for July 2003).

Well, now we have this prediction from Bremer's pals at the Iraqi Governing Council:

The head of a technical committee charged with working out procedures for drafting a new Iraqi constitution said his team would complete its work within one and a half months.

"The committee ... will shortly start consultations with broad segments of Iraqi society and meetings with influential figures, experts in constitutional law, political parties and religious dignitaries" to formulate a mechanism for the proposed constitutional assembly, Fuad Massum told reporters.

The committee's "mission will take a month, or a month and a half, but not more," following which it will present a report to the interim Governing Council, which formed the committee on August 11, he said....

The story's dated yesterday -- August 25. Forty-five days from that is October 9. Think these guys will finish up on schedule?

Don't bet the house.

(Thanks to Atrios for the Daily War News link.)