The U.S. strategy is to water down the document rather than to strengthen it.

For many months the US was standoffish from this reform process, which is odd, since reform of the United Nations is a US priority. What the US is finding once again is that as maddening as it can be, the UN is a necessary forum for us - and it will work better if we work to get certain changes done.

The White House is drawing attention to this election, betting that it will be successful and it can point to this as another benchmark in the transition to fuller Iraqi sovereignty.

A week's delay is no problem, but if this falls apart, it's a problem. This is the essence of the exit strategy. Without this, it will be hard for the U.S. to point to Iraq as a success.

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

The overland water no longer is going over (North Dakota) Highway 18 in any spot. And you can start to see some of the county and township roads to farms out west.