Finally, consider homebuilding, which is taking off all across the country for the first time in over five years, creating a potential for positive opportunities associated with everything related to a home, from Home Depot (HD) and Owens Corning (OC), to Lennar (LEN) and Whirlpool (WHR).

FORBES: Worried About Investing In 2013? Buy American and Prosper

Where we have increased U.S. forces and Iraqi forces and they are in the neighborhood securing the population - that is not taking place all over Baghdad, but it will in time - there is a noticeable decrease in violence in those neighborhoods where that is taking place.

NPR: Is the Iraq Surge Strategy Working?