The Pew Center for the People and the Press has released results of a new survey—coinciding with the third anniversary of the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom—that finds the American view of the war has turned more negative than just a few months ago. Since last July, consistent majorities of Americans said they believed the US could succeed in building a stable democratic government (55 percent last month, according to the survey). Now, the percent believing success is probable has dropped below half to 49 percent.
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.