Listen to the generals.

That was a refrain repeated rightly (and endlessly) when the Iraq mess was being run by then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfield for President Bush.

Bush finally listened to Gen. David Petraeus, who created a path for successfully closing out that ugly war (or at least it appears headed that way).

Then there was the "good" war, the "forgotten" one, the one that had near-universal backing in response to the attacks of 9/11, the one that spurred then-candidate Barack Obama to say of Afghanistan: "We need a sense of urgency and determination. We need urgency because the threat from the Taliban and al-Qaida is growing and we must act; we need determination because it will take time to prevail. But with the right strategy and the resources to back it up, we will get the job done" (joint statement signed by then-Sen. Obama in July 2008).

That war is stuck in dangerous ground with a resurgent Taliban threatening to upend the country, and we have a president who appears to be dithering on making a decision.

His chosen commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, asked in September for more troops to pull off an Iraq-like strategy of building community to meet the danger. So now it's either listen to the generals or get out and save our troops.

We believe there is hope for the former stategy (and ultimately a way out for the U.S., too). The 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment's hard work in the Nawa district of Helmand province may hold the key. In seven months there, the Camp Pendleton unit has pushed the Taliban aside and built community and trust with the local citizenry ---- a tactic not unlike the Marine Corps' success in Iraq's al Anbar region.

President Obama has been dragging his feet for weeks on McChrystal's request for additional troops, but stalling the decision benefits no one.

Either listen to McChrystal and give him what he wants, or get out.

Either way, you are on the clock, Mr. President.