Change in the Wind in Iraq?

At long last, perhaps there is a change in the wind in Iraq.

President Bush keeps saying that we will "stay the course" in Iraq. And I agree that it would be a more dangerous world out there if we pulled out of Iraq altogether. But we also need to ensure that our guys and gals on the battlefield have all the tools they need to get the job done.

With the Democrats taking control of the House and perhaps the Senate, hopefully this will initiate some constructive dialogue between the Congress and our commander-in-chief. Perhaps there is some flexibility in staying the course.

The resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield may help us be more flexible and effective in fighting this war. Rumsfelf has been criticized for his handling of the war, and perhaps change will do some good. After all, Lincoln had to fire quite a few generals before he could find one who could effectively fight the Civil War.

In another strange twist, Saddam Hussein - after being sentenced to hang - has called on all Iraqis to reconcile their differences. And Hussein's former VP has ordered former Ba'ath party bosses to end the insurgency.

Obviously a de-escalation of violence in Iraq would be a good thing. It would be nice to bring the troops home.