The Los Angele Times reports that “Republican House task force investigating intelligence manipulation in the war against Islamic State has concluded that the Pentagon’s Central Command frequently provided a rosier depiction of progress than was warranted.”

“The command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, produced intelligence reports in 2014 and 2015 that were “consistently more positive” about the war than assessments by U.S. intelligence agencies, according to an initial report released Thursday.”

“The 17-page document does not suggest any effort by the White House to manipulate intelligence, as some critics had charged. But it is sharply critical of the former head of Central Command, Gen. Lloyd Austin III, who retired in April.”