We have a political goal with the war just being an extension of the means to achieve it along with diplomacy and economic aid. A "win" for us is a stable, democratic Iraq, which will not be a sanctuary for terrorists and a threat to its neighbors. Also, we need Iraq as an ally in the WOT. Economically, we want the Iraqis to increase their oil production. That is how I define victory.
Well, given the present de facto sectarian divisions between Kurd, Sunni, and Shiite, how about a stable partition of Iraq? And given the present reality of theocratic governance, how about a partition with yet another set of middle eastern Islamic dictatorships? Would that be a win?
If not, how long do we keep trying to fit the square democratic peg into the round Islamic ***hole before we decide to stop wallowing around in-country and re-engage our pre-invasion air, sea, and economic containment policies?