I think the only thing that can work is Option 4, an increase in strength to crush the insurgency, followed by a long-term deployment until the locals 1) can surely handle security and 2) can come to grips with their plurality. This long-term deployment doesn’t have to be at the levels it’s at now, but it needs to be enough to discourage and handle any resurgent insurgents. I don’t like this plan, but it’s the only thing we can morally do. Any of the other options are at best shameful and at worst criminal.

So what is the solution? It’s obviously been a disaster to get in there and to stay, but that’s where we are. How do we get out? Do we set a hard timetable like Feingold recommends? Or do we continue to support Iraqi military until we judge that they can handle it? Give a timetable may just spur on the Islamists to attempt to disrupt it or to wait until it passes and attempt to overthrow whatever government is left in place. Whatever is left in place will have to have sooooo much power and authority, it will resemble nothing like democracy.