The American public has put up with three years of barren promises about the war in Iraq, and public confidence in a positive outcome is wearing thin.

Sectarian violence continues to rise and to take our soldiers' lives and those of innocent Iraqis. And the stakes have been raised by fresh air strikes and movement toward civil war.

President Bush observed the anniversary of the invasion this week by reiterating his faith in the U.S. strategy supporting the fledgling government, although he acknowledged that American confidence in the mission may be flagging.

To restore that confidence, Bush and his advisers should go beyond pledges to simply "stay the course." It is time to explain to the voters where that course is taking us, what specifically will represent success so that we can recognize when we have achieved that goal.

At the same time, Congress now should set aside all the shrill partisan accusations and speak to the American people and their president about a rational strategy. Congress must be part of the solution.

If there's any chance of success, it will take careful and critical examination of all options, with an eye on a more stable Iraq with the right physical and political infrastructure to ensure its best chances for long-term stability.

Iraq in the last century has struggled to keep together its patchwork quilt of religious and ethnic groups; given the complexity here, we need to do more than just organize elections.

The loss of life and increasing debt in financing this war demand that, within the constraints of security considerations, our leaders lay out the unvarnished truth about how this war effort can be successfully redirected. We don't need any more bumper-sticker platitudes.