[Spexxvet]

Before the invasion:
"Saddam has WMD and will give them to Al-Q who will attack us with said WMD, as they did on Sept 11"

After the invasion (long after):
"Well, it appears that there were no WMD, and in fact Saddam had no contact with Al-Q, but the world is a better place with him out of power, so we did the right thing"

On-going, during the occupation:
"We must stay the course - we only lose by pulling out" translated "we're in a situation that we didn't plan for, and don't know what to do, but we can't admit we're wrong or look weak".

Now:
"We'll leave when Iraq has a sturdy democracy safely in place" translated "if we leave now, all hell will break loose, and Iraq will make pre-invasion Afghanistan look like a tea party"

My paraphrases of the administration's message. Translation is mine.