Republican Commission: Iraq War is Over

Okay, well, it doesn't say that America "lost." According to the conservative NY Sun, "A commission formed to assess the Iraq war and recommend a new course has ruled out the prospect of victory for America."

Right, "ruled out the prospect of victory," sorry -- don't want to open myself to charges of being anti-American like this commision.

Can Iraq become a stable democracy in the near term? No. Not according to the commission convened by Virginia Republican Frank Wolf and led by Bush 41's main man, James Baker. Unfortunately, the commission's official findings won't be released until after election day. You know, why have all the information if the information is liable to guide your vote?

The Sun's Eli Lake writes (emphasis mine):

"The more palatable of the two choices for the White House, 'Stability First,' argues that the military should focus on stabilizing Baghdad while the American Embassy should work toward political accommodation with insurgents. The goal of nurturing a democracy in Iraq is dropped."

From a Daily News article almost exactly a year ago:

In the long run, moreover, many Bush aides believe his legacy will rise or fall largely on how Iraq plays out.

"If a year from now they have a functional government with even a semblance of democracy and U.S. deaths are lower, that will give Bush a huge boost," said a senior Republican political strategist. "But if there's a civil war and Americans are still dying, Bush will end his term as one of the most unpopular Presidents in history."