That’s the chief way to describe how well we’re doing in Iraq. It has been from nearly the start, over and over. Here’s a sampling:

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan on October 27, 2003: “In the north and south [of Iraq], we have made significant progress.”

President Bush on November 13, 2004: “Fighting together, our forces have made significant progress in the last several days.”

President Bush on June 28, 2005: “In the past year, we have made significant progress.”

Vice President Cheney on October 19, 2006: “We’ve made significant progress.”

President Bush on February 23, 2007: ” I think we have made significant progress in Iraq.”

Of course it was used again last week in the report to Congress. That was the week 19 U.S. soldiers died, the deadliest progessive week of the year.