Following his swearing in ceremony new defense secretary robert gates said:

Failure in Iraq at this juncture would be a calamity that would haunt our nation, impair our credibility, and endanger Americans for decades to come.

Is there any doubt that the Iraq venture has not been a failure for some time?

No matter the next course of action (inaction?) it is a calamity that will haunt our nation, impair our credibility and endanger Americans for decades to come!