What it means to "win" in Iraq: McCain gives an answer in the Present Perfect Progressive tense

I just listened to an interview of John McCain. It was really one of the most favorable interviews I've seen of him during this campaign. He was composed and seemed happy to be getting some media time after a week of Obama dominating the spotlight. He was asked to define what it means to "win" in Iraq. Here is his answer:

BLITZER: Define victory in Iraq.

MCCAIN: Sure. It's the classic outcome of a successful counterinsurgency, which this strategy is, an effective government in a secure environment, a social, economic and political process that's moving forward -- very importantly, a legal system that is functioning to protect the rights of the people, Americans withdrawing, and the Iraqi people having a chance at freedom and democracy, which, obviously, they were never going to have under Saddam Hussein, and we avoid the risk of a wider war; we Reduce the influence of Iran in the region; we have a positive impact, even as far away as Afghanistan, because success breeds success -- but an Iraq that is a stable, normal country.
And it's not over, as I said. Al Qaida is not defeated. They are on their heels, but they're not defeated. That's why we have a ways to go, but the progress, by any parameter, has been dramatically good. And that's a path to victory in Iraq, and you can see it every single day in Baghdad, Mosul, Basra and around the country. And I say, thank God.

Not too succinct, but it demonstrates that Obama is not the only candidate filled with optimism and hope. Let's just examine that a bit more... He talks about "moving forward", a legal system that is "functioning", "Americans withdrawing", Iraqi's "having a chance at freedom and democracy", then outlines the progress and the work left to be done.

The problem with this answer is it is all Present Perfect Progressive tense. For those rusty in verb tenses, this is used to "express duration of an acton that began in the past, has continued into the present, and may continue into the future." In other words, he has defined a process the leads someplace he describes as victory. But he has failed to define victory.

Once again, we find ourselves listening to someone steeped in tactical thinking, but lacking leadership. He describes the process, the work to be done. But McCain reveals his poor leadership skill. Leaders set the policy, define the strategy, and then support the tactitions. They define what to do, not how to do it.

In other words, his answer is vague, unmeasurable, unquantifiable, what is the word I'm looking for...

ENDLESS

Yeah, that's the word, endless.