Here are some recent headlines from Iraq:

Iraq Meets 15 of 18 Benchmarks

Uranium Stockpile Removed From Iraq in Secret U.S. Mission (yes, Saddam really was pursuing nuclear weapons)

Iraqis lead final purge of Al-Qaeda

Iraq's Al-Maliki Wants Short-Term U.S. Agreement (in preparation of eventual withdrawal)

Taken together, these stories confirm that the liberation of Iraq has succeeded. We are now in the winding-down stage: completing the last few benchmarks, cleaning up any remaining dangerous materials, eliminating straggling Al-Qaeda operatives and, most interesting of all, working out agreement that will pave the way for U.S. withdrawal -- if not completely, then probably to some sort of long-term base, much as the U.S. maintains in Germany, South Korea, etc.

The liberation of Iraq had a brilliant beginning (the invasion and the overthrow and capture of Saddam and his sadistic sons), a brutally tough middle (Iraq became the central front in Al-Qaeda's war on the west), and now, an unglamorous, yet effective and smart conclusion where we not only wore down the insurgents, but also won the hearts and minds of the Iraqi citizens.

Had President Bush listened to the Democrat Doomsayers (sorry for the redundancy), we would have lost. Iraq would be a miasma of Al-Qaeda terrorists, Sunni strongmen, Syrian operatives, and Iranian forces, to name but a few of the vultures that would have descended. I hate to think what the price of oil would have become.

Thankfully, President Bush persevered and adjusted. Too slowly? Yes. But mistakes, big and small, are made in every war. You have to have the strength of character to overcome them. You can't wilt and withdraw during the tough times. The Democrats wilted, but Bush didn't wilt, and our armed forces didn't wilt.

We have won. Our armed forces have won. President George W. Bush has won. The Iraqi citizens have won.