  urlLink Yahoo! News - Smiling Bush quietly shares Iraq handover glee with Blair While the Iraqi Sovereignty hand-off is symbolic in many ways, it still has a great deal of meaning to the real world. It's obvious that the bad guys over there were going to continue murdering, beheading and blowing things up as we approached the established date of June 30th. Anything that happens from here on is an unmistakable attack against the Iraqi people, despite whatever al-Qaeda might claim. In reading some of the Iraqi Blogs today, like urlLink Iraq the Model , the Iraqis are greeting this as more than just a symbol. It’s a great day for all the freedom lovers. No doubt is left now that we’re winning while the forces of darkness and evil are losing a key round in this war. With great delight we received th news. this is the right and important step to build the free Iraq and It’s a painful strike for terrorism and its allies. They really missed this surprising and brilliant timing. And I guess they’re deeply shocked right now. their luck couldn’t help them to scar this glorious day with a crime of theirs. .... It’s hard to appreciate the efforts of all those who helped us to get our freedom and rebuild our country.
We will never forget them. We will keep them in our hearts. God bless Iraq and her people. God bless America and her people. God bless all the coalition forces who supported operation Iraqi freedom. May God bless the souls of all those who sacrificed their lives to free Iraq. It's important, even as a symbol. As I heard on Fox today, an American general said that our exit strategy was training an Iraqi police and military to secure their freedom.
This is a good step in that direction. With the Iraqis now running their own courts and having a little more freedom with thier police, the bad guys have to worry about harsher consequences than Abu Ghraib in their future. The Iraqis aren't going to be as restrained when it comes to questioning their suspects. The reaction from the Left is funny and predictable. First, we would 'never' establish a viable Iraqi Government, and now we have. The handover was taking too long, and now doing it early is evidence of 'chaos and confusion'.
The goalposts of success keep moving. History will judge, and I'm comfortable in hearing the truth in twenty years. When I saw Bush shake Blairs hand, both with a big grin, I shared in their moment of happiness. We did what we promised to do, and while it isn't over by a long shot, we are meeting our obligations and doing the right thing. Even if it isn't known or appreciated today. Remember the adage - character is doing the right thing even if no one knows or appreciates it. Both Bush and Blair have suffered massive electoral damage in pursuing the right course of action. Both might lose office for it, but both men understand that the office is an implement to be used to further just causes. If they lose, then at least they accomplished something meaningful. 
