I have seen people spin a defeat as victory. 

The U.S. may be the first nation ever to spin victory as defeat.

The simple fact is we are winning the war on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

According to Strategy Page the Taliban has resorted to a campaign of suicide bombs, a dramatic shift in tactics.

Before I left Iraq I was able to take a look at a limited distribution briefing showing the number of hostile acts against coalition forces in Anbar.  I knew things were strangely quiet, but seeing it on a chart really made it hit home. 

In some places the only significant event for a week was one 155mm IED that missed a humvee. 

As Al Qaida is denied areas of operation they will engage in the only tactic that has served them well --spectacular bombs that kill Iraqis. 

But victory in Iraq or Afghanistan is not in the best political interests of some people. 

Therefore, they declare defeat.

Or they fear that a debate on the war in Iraq would be interjected into the conduct of politics of elections.

The real fear should be that the politics of elections would be interjected into the conduct of war. 

I can see a scenario where by early 2008 victory in Iraq is almost a fait accompli except that it will be spun as a defeat. 

At this stage in the game the capture of Osama Bin Laden himself would be described as meaningless or even a set back by certain politicians.

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