When withdrawal is framed as defeat

By Creature

With McCain's camp whining today about Barack Obama's desire to "lose" the Iraq war (this according to the very people that brought us this lost war to begin with), what I need from John McCain is a real definition of winning.

I get the whole head-held-high, honor crap (if honor is even possible after the mess we've created). What I don't get is why a phased, rational withdrawal (something all sides except Bush and McCain want) can't be defined as winning? Withdrawal has to happen eventually and if the Right would stop framing it as losing maybe we could call withdrawal a victory and get the hell out.

And, if it's only a matter of how high our troops heads are held on the way out, couldn't the commander-in-chief just order the troops to keep their chins up on the way out the door? Hell, throw in a few flags, do a jig, call it victory, and we're done. How hard would that be?

(Cross-posted at State of the Day.)