Last week, top commander Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker testified before Congress about progress in the Iraq war.

The news wasn’t what Congress had hoped for.

Yes, progress had been made since the surge, but that progress was fragile and could be reversed. Violence was down in places but not everywhere. The Iraqi government and army are better, but not much better and are still unable to govern and defend the country on their own.

Petraeus also said that it would be unwise to start withdrawing troops now. The plan to bring home ...

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