This is a list of some pretty amazing accomplishments in 6 months time. (See: post war Japan, post war Germany, post war Kosovo). It is by no means complete and to cut and run now is suicide for the US and the Iraqi people.
Try to touch base with reality every now and then.
Of course not. I also would never claim they were capable of walking before they are able.
Just like I would not claim Iraq - or any country - is truly free while it is dependend on another, as Iraq is on us. The reality is, Iraq is NOT yet free, while it is dependent on the US.
I heard on Fox News either Tony Snow or Brit Hume - I forget which - say something like allowing the naturally democratic tendencies of Iraqis to take root (I forget the exact words, but that was the gist). Sorry, but they don't have naturally democratic tendencies; were governance allowed to take its natural course in Iraq, they would undoubtedly end up with a Saddam-type dictatorship. The US will not - and would not - allow that to happen; so Iraq is not yet truly free, is it?
Yes, we have accomplished some amazing things over there, and not enough attention or merit is given. But let's not fool ourselves. Blithely tossing about terms like "Iraq is now free" is mindless bubblegum sloganeering. What can be said, is that we have made life immeasurably better for Iraqis, and someday, they will be free. With our help.
Just like my child will someday walk and run. With my help.