Somebody is pushing for a longterm presence in Iraq. I think it would be someone who figures they stand to gain something from it. That would be the oil companies, the various mercenaries (such as Blackwater), the defence industries, and the military and civilian contractors who are gaining many lucrative contracts in regards to the war because of the devastation it has caused and will continue to cause.

It's not just Bush, Cheney, and a few people at the PNAC. It's an entire consortium of powerful and very interested parties.

Any politician who has consistently voted in favour of funding the war when a vote came up...and that includes Hillary Clinton AND Barack Obama...has demonstrated their endorsement of the war in no uncertain terms, regardless of their present posturing to the contrary. (in my opinion)

To vote to fund a war is to endorse that war.

I know of very few politicians who did not endorse it in that manner, other than Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul.