When is progress being made?

With all the negative comments about the surge working or not working in Iraq and the childish, and hate filled comments and ads about the Commander of the Troops in Iraq or "progress" in Iraq beng not made I wondered, what would be acceptable by most people as progress? What would have to happen in order for most people to say that things are "better" in Iraq than they have been? Not withstanding a retreat or why we went in the first place.

I think most people would say that violence would have to be down. But then I thought it is, so that can't be it. But then I thought maybe if they based it on infrastructure inprovements then that might be it. But then I remembered infrastructure has improved greatly, so I guess that can't be it. Fewer US or no US Deaths? I am not sure that could happen, it hasn't happened in the US itself, hard to think of somewhere else being "safer" than the US. So just exactly what is it that would trgger most people to say "I guess things are getting better in Iraq." ??

Here are just a few (only Sept.) of the News Headlines (with links) incase you might feel the urge to read some news about progress in Iraq;

Now I know that many may not classify the above as "progress" but I beg to differ. Any time a terrorist is killed or captured, its progress.

Infrastructure projects and other improvements can be found here: http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/index.asp

So just what do the military and others have to do to make people say progress is being made?