I was struck by this passage in the Obama speech, which I’m just reading now:
In fact, true success in Iraq – victory in Iraq – will not take place in a surrender ceremony where an enemy lays down their arms. True success will take place when we leave Iraq to a government that is taking responsibility for its future – a government that prevents sectarian conflict, and ensures that the al Qaeda threat which has been beaten back by our troops does not reemerge. That is an achievable goal if we pursue a comprehensive plan to press the Iraqis stand up.
Now, I disagree with Obama’s prescriptions, which are profoundly mistaken. And his use of Maliki and Dubik is basically dishonest, as we point out here. But it’s a sign of how the Iraq debate has shifted that you have a very prominent liberal opponent of the war–Barack Obama no less–saying that victory is possible.