There are some good signals out there. See? There's one now. Did you see it?

"The top U.S. commander in the war also said he strongly disagrees with the view that the United States is heading toward defeat in Iraq. 'We are not losing, militarily,' Army Gen. John Abizaid said in an interview Friday. He said that the U.S. military is winning tactically. But he stopped short of being as positive about the overall trend. Rather, he said, 'strategically, I think there are opportunities.'

"The prisoner abuse scandal and the continuing car bombings and U.S. casualties "create the image of a military that's not being effective in the counterinsurgency," he said. But in reality, 'the truth of the matter is . . . there are some good signals out there.'"

Phil Carter has more, and decidedly less confident (if that's the word for Abizaid's statement -- "some good signals," indeed) comments from military leaders in Iraq.

Staying the course is no longer an option, I fear.

"We rationalized destroying villages in order to save them. We saw America lose her sense of morality as she accepted very coolly a My Lai and refused to give up the image of American soldiers who hand out chocolate bars and chewing gum."

It may be time for John Kerry to ask, "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Iraq." And for a series of lies no less damnable than Tonkin Gulf.