I guess it matters how you frame the question.  Like the question around the surge.  Many republicans this week were calling for President Obama to thank President Bush for 'the surge.' Why?  Why in the world would President Obama, who was staunchly against the Iraq war from the outset, thank President Bush for the surge which was a last gasp hope to stabilize the country long enough for the Iraqi government to create a government?  

Remember that one of the reasons Rumsfeld was fired was because he sent too few troops to Iraq and the 'surge' put troop levels near what they should have been in the first place.  So Obama should thank Bush for the surge?  I don't get it.  

To the question of 'victory' as defined by the spreading of democracy, then that presupposes that Iraq has a functioning democratic government.  It does not.  We all wish it did but the problem is much more nuanced than a statement from some blow hard politician who says, "Iraq is now a democratic country."  Any intelligent person who knows anything about Iraq knows that's not the case.  The major issue of Kirkuk is still unsettled, so too is the Kurdish issue, the Sunnis are making a run for power, Muqtada al-Sadr is still as dangerous as ever, and dozens of other issues are keeping the Iraqi government from becoming a reality.  And all the while militant groups are waiting in the wings.

If the Sunnis attack the Shiites will we return to Iraq?  If Muqtada al-Sadr regains a foothold will we return?  President Obama said tonight that "we met our obligations" but if some of those obligations slip backwards will we return to Iraq?  His flowery speech made it sound as if we'd be back to defend those fault lines which are held together by duct tape.   

The only thing I know about Iraq is that our brave men and women fought bravely and did everything they were asked to do and so much more.  They were asked to overthrow a regime, check. They were asked to scour every knook and cranny of the country looking for any trace of WMD, check.  They were suddenly asked to act as police officers because Rumsfeld underestimated the force size and insurgency, check.  They were asked to train an entire Iraqi security force, check.  They were asked to go door to door and find insurgents with a limited force, check.  They were asked to wait until reinforcements arrived because Rumsfeld underestimated the needed force size, check.  They were asked to surge and provide stability for the new Iraqi government, check.  They did all of this and more in 120 degree heat.  Nearly 5,000 men and women died in Iraq, let's hope the Iraqi government can stand on its own so we can define 'victory' for those soldiers in clear terms.

Sky watcher Robert Thorson shot this video at 4:30 a.m. over Fresno, CA, on August 31, 2010, according to Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) California State Section Director, and founder of the Sanger Paranormal Society. The sighting has not yet been investigated by MUFON.

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