"What we do can affect the outcome. But if we don’t see progress on two of the three big issues — oil revenues, de-Baathification, provincial elections — in the next 90 days, it may not happen. And Iraq could be a failed state."

That was September 2. There has been no progress on oil revenues, de-Baathification or provincial elections. All that has happened, so far as I can tell, is that competence from the beefed-up US military presence has managed to prevent a full-scale civil war from tearing the place apart. And that presence is about to be beefed down. So what say you now, Senator?