It's inexcusable for Congress not to fund troops in Iraq

"There is no question Iraq's national leaders must do more to promote reconciliation and improve governance in the months ahead. But the fact is, there has been enormous political progress in Iraq at the local and provincial levels thanks to the surge, as Sunni and Shiite leaders have stepped forward to fight against the extremists in their communities. Building on these gains is going to require deft diplomacy and subtle statecraft from the United States -- not declarations of defeat."