Iraq: what will the Democrats do?

For the midterm elections less than three weeks away, "it's the war, stupid", rather than "it's the economy, stupid".

If the Republicans could fight the midterms on economic grounds alone, they would be home and dry. Company profits are surging, the Dow Jones has broken through 12,000 for the first time and Americans are showing little pain from slowing growth.

But everything comes back to Iraq, which has turned into the millstone around the Republican neck. If the polls turn out to be right, the Democrats are set to regain control of the House - and perhaps of the Senate.