Iraq – 'liberated' nation or outpost of empire?

"If and when Obama takes the White House, the Iraq war will immediately become his war, and his party's war. The issue will then be: a negotiated end to the conflict and the occupation, or else a series of "surges" culminating in an open conflict with Iran. A third scenario – an ignominious helicopters-taking-off-from-rooftops retreat – is a real possibility, too. Staying the course is no longer an option."