Main salient point about "al Qaeda in Iraq", ignored by all parties as far as I can see, is that it is roundly loathed and despised by Iraqi Kurds and Shiiites--and now also hated by Iraqi Sunnis.

So, as I've noted earlier, the question is where the support necessary for al Qaeda to take over in Iraq--the threat constantly held over us by Bush and now McCain-- will come from?

And since that's the reason for our being in Iraq, the reason is now gone--except in "Kurdistan"-- where there is oil--and the Kurds want us there on a long-term basis.