Which Mission Is ‘Mission Accomplished’?

Good question from Sen. John Thune (R-SD) to Gen. Petraeus. If the Iraqi security forces are ready to take over responsibility for Iraq before sectarian reconciliation has occurred — not an unlikely scenario, given the dismal prospects for political progress, Crocker notwithstanding — is the U.S. mission, you know, accomplished? Petraeus’ answer: not necessarily. If the government was set to collapse, the U.S. might stay in Iraq to prop it up, even if the Iraqi Army and police are able to control the country. That’s quite an extraordinary statement. Petraeus probably means to avoid limiting his options, but it’s never before been suggested by anyone in uniform that we would stay in Iraq to support an Iraqi government after the Iraqi military has Stood Up.