| During his recent interview with pastor Rick | | | | Iraqi armed forces fully "stand up" to their own |
| Warren, Senator John McCain described General | | | | defense Security of borders and absence of |
| David Petraeus as a "great leader. . .who took us | | | | terrorist sanctuaries Productive relations with |
| from defeat to victory in Iraq." Obviously, General | | | | neighbors Support for the United States Perhaps |
| Petraeus deserves all the acclaim he is usually | | | | these are the sum total of the kind of security |
| afforded by citizens and politicians alike for making | | | | we hope for in Iraq. |
| the Surge an effective strategy. The Surge, | | | | And, if we haven't quite achieved "victory," what |
| together with the Sunni Awakening and the | | | | is our strategy for doing so? We are now |
| stand-down by Shiite militias, have successfully | | | | withdrawing Surge forces. Prime Minister Maliki has |
| reduced violence in Iraq. But what must have | | | | agreed to some kind of time table withdrawal. We |
| surprised some is McCain's claim to have achieved | | | | haven't heard of a new strategy from Senator |
| "victory" in Iraq. Previously, the Senator has | | | | McCain. Senator Obama's objectives are quite |
| repeatedly stated that he will never leave Iraq | | | | different, obviously. This doesn't mean that |
| until US and Coalition forces had achieved | | | | Obama is any less patriotic. He analyzes the |
| "victory." McCain has chided Senator Obama for | | | | problem differently. And, we should note that |
| trading votes for victory, for wanting to leave | | | | "victory" may just be an outworn concept for |
| Iraq before we had a chance to win, thus not | | | | this "war on terror." There will be no signing on |
| putting America first-something McCain claims he | | | | the forward starboard main deck of the USS |
| will always do. Now, it seems as if we have done | | | | Missouri as there was in Tokyo Bay on 2 |
| exactly that-achieved "victory." Has McCain | | | | September, 1945. There will be no Paris Peace |
| suddenly realized that we have achieved his end | | | | Accords that terminated the Vietnam conflict in |
| goal? We are left to wonder if we have, indeed, | | | | January, 1973. Whatever "victory" looks like it is |
| achieved "victory," what do we do now? What is | | | | certain, as Petraeus and others have told us, it will |
| our exit strategy? Did he mean that the Surge | | | | be achieved not only by military power but the |
| has "worked"? And that now we must move on | | | | force of diplomacy, discussions, the very hard |
| toward "victory"? Or did he simply mis-speak? Did | | | | work of reaching agreements amongst disparate |
| he, perhaps, mean to use a different verb | | | | groups and power sources. So, Senator McCain, |
| tense-not "took us to victory" but rather "is | | | | have we indeed achieved "victory" or are we still |
| leading us toward victory." | | | | working toward it with a strategy you and others |
| If the latter be the case, what then constitutes | | | | have not clearly articulated? The key to |
| "victory" in Iraq? The Administration is always | | | | preserving our democracy is to continually ask |
| speaking about "the facts or conditions on the | | | | politicians important questions about policy, |
| ground." So what are those conditions or facts | | | | philosophy and performance. We must, as Dr. |
| that warrant declaring victory? Perhaps they | | | | Sally Ride has said of a NASA manager, be |
| include some or all of the following: Numbers of | | | | "inquisitive to a fault." We must keep asking |
| casualties Binding agreements amongst Shia, Sunni | | | | serious questions of all who would be in |
| and Kurd Viable oil sharing laws Conducting future | | | | government-questions about philosophy, priorities |
| elections Using oil resources to fund reconstruction | | | | and, especially, performance. This is our only |
| Functioning of civic organizations-free press, | | | | guard against the tyranny of a few, our only |
| keeping schools open, viable market place and | | | | means of preserving our democracy. |
| availability of electricity, water, sewage Having | | | | |