Retired general (and once-and-future Democratic presidential hopeful) Wesley Clark is doing a guest-blogging stint at TPM Cafe. I am cautiously optimistic about Clark, keeping in mind the uncertainty principle that guarantees that a candidate’s viability is in inverse proportion to how much I like them.

His first post concerns our options in Iraq, given the mess in which we are currently mired.

Not only do I disagree with the premise by which this Administration started the war in Iraq, I also disagree with their current strategy of urging American “resolve” and fighting in Iraq in an open-ended manner. Simply “staying the course” is not an option, and neither is cutting and running. Too much is at stake. There is still time succeed, but the President needs to stand up and admit his mistakes and be willing to do the hard work that is needed to build a stable and peaceful Iraq. He needs to implement to exhaustion a three pronged strategy — I outlined it in my op-ed, so I won’t do it again here — and work the regional politics to bring about a sustainable solution before the armed and political opposition to our presence in the region crystallizes, and finally justifies, a demand for the return of our troops.

A sensible strategy, obviously with serious questions about how realistic it really is. At least Clark seems to be welcoming criticism and commentary, which by itself would be a refreshing change from the status quo.