If At First You Don't Succeed Redefine

Recently, we've been facing the collision of the following truths:

A. GOP members say they can't keep supporting the war unless the surge shows signs of success by September.
B. Conditions in Iraq never improve.
C. Republicans will never stop supporting the war.

Well, Julian Barnes reports that "U.S. military leaders in Iraq are increasingly convinced that most of the broad political goals President Bush laid out early this year in his announcement of a troop buildup will not be met this summer and are seeking ways to redefine success." Success has, however, already been redefined plenty. If you'd predicted back in February 2003 that the US would be in the mess we're in by May 2007 you would, rightly, have been viewed as someone who was predicting failure.