It's not victory... not yet

So says the Washington Post about the situation in Iraq.  Today's editorial voices some concern about Barack Obama's predicament.  It seems the Iraqi parliament has taken the situation out of Obama's hands.

BARACK OBAMA recently reiterated his campaign promise to order up a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. But the Iraqi parliament has beaten him to it. Its ratification Thursday of a new bilateral military agreement with the United States not only establishes a timetable for the redeployment of American troops but delimits the missions they can undertake between now and the end of 2011. Mr. Obama has always said that his strategy was aimed at forcing Iraqi leaders to take responsibility for their country and its security. In adopting and ratifying the accord, the government and parliament have taken a major step toward that goal.

The situation seems less distressing for the President-elect than it is for the editors at the Post.  I mean, what was Obama going to do anyway.  He's keeping Robert Gates at Defense, for crying out loud.  Do they think Obama kept him on so that he could yank the troops and undo everything he's been in charge of doing over the past two years?  Please.  It's all over in Iraq, the war has been won, the Status of Forces Agreement has been accepted.  But for Post editors it can't be a victory.  For Post editors it's denial.  Time to postpone the victory.

The Bush administration worked patiently and tirelessly to negotiate the new agreement, which will have the effect of removing Iraq from United Nations supervision on Jan. 1. Having all but destroyed his presidency through mismanagement of the war, Mr. Bush can now fairly argue as he leaves office that his successor will inherit an Iraqi mission that has been stabilized both militarily and politically. That's not the same thing as the "victory" Mr. Bush has often spoken of; Iraq could still unravel if its leaders or the Obama administration act unwisely.

Of course, this is Mr. Bush we're talking about, so it's not victory.  But it's close, so close that Post editors feel obliged to warn that Obama could still throw a wrench in it.  Perhaps a little patience would be in order.

There is now, however, a workable road map for winding down the U.S. troop presence in the country and for consolidating the new political system. Mr. Obama will receive this framework from the president and the Iraqi government he has spent the last two years campaigning against. Though we don't expect him to say so, Mr. Obama is fortunate that he was wrong, both about the surge and about the capacity of Iraq's leaders.

It can be safely admitted now.  Post editors concede that Obama was dead wrong about the surge, and wrong about Iraq's leaders.  But what was abysmally poor judgment during the campaign is good fortune now that the election is over.  The media propped this guy up all through the campaign, and apparently they're not done yet.  I'll boldly predict that among Obama's first presidential accomplishments will be the victory in Iraq that eluded President bush for the last five years.  That is, if the President-elect can just keep from screwing it up.  

Not to worry.  No matter what happens the press will compose history's first draft, of this historic administration, with Barack Obama as the hero of the Iraq war.   Victory will be declared right after the inauguration. 

Comments

[ew]

it irks me that the illuminati msm can be SO sure that this man who has has done nothing so far will have an eminent success. HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING, don't be applauding him yet!