A Few Quick Hits ...

Amid all this violence, I know Americans ask the question: Is the sacrifice worth it?

It is worth it.

Well, hell ... problem solved. Thanks, Pres. I'm suddenly more curious as to how his Social Security plan didn't catch on with snazzy selling points like this.

Bigger problem for the speech was that I think it took too long to get to the real crux of the matter - the cost we see in terms of friends and neighbors coming back injured or dead juxtaposed against the good things that will affect our own lives. Yes, expanding liberty and freedom are all good things that many of us truly support. But at some point, the benefits have to be more tangible. Draw a comparison between the history of failed states that come back to bite us in the ass and the possibility of leaving Iraq as just such a failed state, and I think there's a point that can be gotten across the divide of opinion.

Still, though ... there's more:

A little over a year ago, I spoke to the nation and described our coalition's goal in Iraq. I said that America's mission in Iraq is to defeat an enemy and give strength to a friend -- a free, representative government that is an ally in the war on terror and a beacon of hope in a part of the world that is desperate for reform.

I outlined the steps we would take to achieve this goal.

We would hand authority over to a sovereign Iraqi government. We would help Iraqis hold free elections by January 2005. We would continue helping Iraqis rebuild their nation's infrastructure and economy. We would encourage more international support for Iraq's democratic transition. And we would enable Iraqis to take increasing responsibility for their own security and stability.

In the past year, we have made significant progress.

One year ago today, we restored sovereignty to the Iraqi people. In January 2005, more than 8 million Iraqi men and women voted in elections that were free and fair and took time on -- and took place on time.

We continued our efforts to help them rebuild their country. Rebuilding a country after three decades of tyranny is hard, and rebuilding while at war is even harder.

Our progress has been uneven, but progress is being made.

We are improving roads and schools and health clinics. We're working to improve basic services like sanitation, electricity and water. And together with our allies, we will help the new Iraqi government deliver a better life for its citizens.

In the past year, the international community has stepped forward with vital assistance. Some 30 nations have troops in Iraq, and many others are contributing non-military assistance.

The United Nations is in Iraq to help Iraqis write a constitution and conduct their next elections.

Thus far, some 40 countries and three international organizations have pledged about $34 billion in assistance for Iraqi reconstruction.

More than 80 countries and international organizations recently came together in Brussels to coordinate their efforts to help Iraqis provide for their security and rebuild their country. And next month, donor countries will meet in Jordan to support Iraqi reconstruction.

Whatever our differences in the past, the world understands that success in Iraq is critical to the security of our nations.

As German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said at the White House yesterday, There can be no question a stable and democratic Iraq is in the vested interest of not just Germany, but also Europe.

Finally, we have continued our efforts to equip and train Iraqi security forces. We've made gains in both the number and quality of those forces.

Today, Iraq has more than 160,000 security forces trained and equipped for a variety of missions. Iraqi forces have fought bravely, helping to capture terrorists and insurgents in Najaf and Samarra, Fallujah and Mosul.

And in the past month, Iraqi forces have led a major anti- terrorist campaign in Baghdad called Operation Lightning, which has led to the capture of hundreds of suspected insurgents.

Like free people everywhere, Iraqis want to be defended by their own countrymen, and we are helping Iraqis assume those duties.

The progress in the past year has been significant, and we have a clear path forward.

To complete the mission, we will continue to hunt down the terrorists and insurgents.

This part of the speech hit me as more than a little offbeat. You claim that a year ago, you spelled out your goals, now you provide a litany of how many of those goals have been met. It leaves open the question of "Well, why not bring back the troops if they've succeeded at all this?" Bush's answer to that we could continue on in the goals set forward by doing something not even listed among the goals: hunt down terrorists and insurgents. This leaves about as much hope among Americans wondering what the end-state of this battle will be as there is among hunting widows who are told their husbands will return when every last duck has been shot out of the air. The conclusion is left too open-ended by Bush. And that's the exact problem he's got on his hands - showing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Last night, all he told us was that we're in a tunnel ... still.