Bainbridge is focused on finding a way to package the problem to help his friends at the polls. He needs to focus on a way out for us; indeed, we all do. The public debate so far is "the surge is working" vs. "the surge failed." This is infantile nonsense. There are two tracks, which must be considered independently. One is the military track. Here the military has performed consistently with plans, but at a very dramatic cost (I am talking more about treasure than blood, but the latter is not to be dismissed lightly).  ]]>