One of the key items we will have is a flag that flew over a polling booth in Iraq that was donated by a soldier.

This is a priority because of all the difficulties they're having in Iraq getting convoys from point A to point B.

The Kurds say they will not come back unless Iraq is federal.

Most of the State of the Union will not be about Iraq. Most of the State of the Union will be about improving America's economy and providing greater access to health care for millions of American people, including senior citizens.

The presence of our forces in Iraq is not unlimited. The administration's repeated statements that we will stay in Iraq as long as needed sends the wrong message. We should not mislead the Iraqis into thinking that they have unlimited time to reach a broad-based political settlement.

How this president handles the Middle East in general and wins in Iraq in particular will be probably the most important definition of his presidency.