Time to go.

The Baker-Hamilton commission on Iraq had not reported when we went to press, but I have two worries about it. James A. Baker is too much of a Bush loyalist to admit that the war was a terrible mistake. Lee Hamilton is a very conscientious man, and many conscientious Americans--even those who think that the war was wrong or that we have totally bungled the occupation--believe we must stay in Iraq until there is a right time to leave.

Unfortunately, there is never a right time. We long ago lost the credibility with most Iraqis that might have enabled us to play a constructive role in their future. Staying much longer won't help. Remember that although the British stayed in India for 104 years, as soon as they left, Hindus and Muslims went into a frenzy of mutual slaughter that cost a million lives. The best we can do is give reasonable notice--I'm with John Murtha on six months--that will let responsible Iraqis know that now is the time to get their act together, and that will defuse the anger of Iraqis who are killing and maiming our soldiers simply because they want us to go. Finally, we should make orderly provisions for sanctuary, in this country or elsewhere, for the Iraqis who have stuck their necks out on our behalf and who fear reprisal. We must never repeat the horror of Saigon, where we left thousands of Vietnamese clamoring at our embassy gate as the last helicopter departed.