Sunday Roundup

Inthis week that the surge has "succeeded beyond our wildest dreams," Obama was buying into the Republicans' framing on Iraq. As the Shiite-run Iraqi government is rounding up the Sunni leaders of the Awakening who were at the heart of the reduction in violence, political reconciliation -- the actual goal of the surge -- remains a mirage. McCain'sholds that the outcome of the surge is the sum total of the Iraq scorecard -- wiping everything else clean. Forget invading over non-existent WMD, taking our eye off al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, war profiteering and the empowering of Iran. And forget that Gen. Petraeusto delay planned troop cuts because he realizes that widespread violence could easily return to Iraq. Success beyond our wildest dreams? Perhaps when Sarah Palin, "victory in Iraq is finally in sight," she was talking about a PR victory.