Analysis from afar? I'd take the words of some of these "outgoing" commanders and Generals with a grain of salt. Too many Generals want to become "politicians" these days. You also should realize that some of these people are being replaced under less than mutual agreement. Happened during the Bush Administration. Some General would "retire", claim we couldn't win in Iraq, then weeks later they would turn up as an "adviser" to some Democrat or a mouthpiece for the liberal media.