The Iraq picture, a little more in focus

We all understand where the moveon and other anti-war groups stand on the Iraq situation. It appears that, other than them, most people understand that the surge and accompanying strategy have worked. This leaves the Democrats in a tough position. They need the George Soros money, via moveon, but they're going to lose the bulk of the voters if they align. A break with them is inevitable. Why you ask? It's all about what the situation in Iraq will look like during the general election.

To get in focus with what that will be, I send you to Reuel Marc Gerecht over at American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research - Why the Worst Is Probably Over in Iraq

• The Brookings Institution's Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack--both sincere, thoughtful Democrats--were pilloried on the Left for their July 2007 New York Times op-ed, "We Just Might Win," which concluded that the surge was working and deserved support.[1] Today, just a little more than four months later, some of the people who hurled animadversions at O'Hanlon and Pollack probably wish they had been a bit more measured in their criticism of the two scholars.

It's a long but enlightening read so if you can take the time, I urge you to read it. It's one of the most complete breakdowns on it I've read. I'll give you a couple of points that are brought out that are well worth understanding.

1. All gains can be lost in short order if we precipitously pull out our troops before the Iraqi's are up to the task of providing their own security.
2. Political benchmarks set out by our government are somewhat pointless as Iraq needs to be what the Iraqi's want, not what our government wants.
   

Again, there's tons of information there that I can't sum up here. He paints the past, current, and what the possible future situations are.