Then men and two women, all former Army captains, defined as follows:

This column was written by 12 former Army captains: Jason Blindauer served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Elizabeth Bostwick served in Salah Ad Din and An Najaf in 2004. Former Capt. Jeffrey Bouldin served in Al Anbar, Baghdad and Ninevah in 2006. Former Capt. Jason Bugajski served in Diyala in 2004. Former Capt. Anton Kemps served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Former Capt. Kristy (Luken) McCormick served in Ninevah in 2003. Former Capt. Luis Carlos Montalván served in Anbar, Baghdad and Nineveh in 2003 and 2005. Former Capt. William Murphy served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Former Capt. Josh Rizzo served in Baghdad in 2006. Former Capt. William “Jamie” Ruehl served in Nineveh in 2004. Former Capt. Gregg Tharp served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Former Capt. Gary Williams served in Baghdad in, 2003.

Of course, their critics will say, ‘none served during the miraculous, wonderful, fix-all, superduper, FabKewlDef Surge Spectaculousity of 2007, so they are stoopid morans who should be hung from the highest hippie.’

They actually give a pretty stark portrait of what Iraq is, even now, concluding:

Iraqi security forces would not be able to salvage the situation. Even if all the Iraqi military and police were properly trained, equipped and truly committed, their 346,000 personnel would be too few. As it is, Iraqi soldiers quit at will. The police are effectively controlled by militias. And, again, corruption is debilitating. U.S. tax dollars enrich self-serving generals and support the very elements that will battle each other after we’re gone.

This is Operation Iraqi Freedom and the reality we experienced. This is what we tried to communicate up the chain of command. This is either what did not get passed on to our civilian leadership or what our civilian leaders chose to ignore. While our generals pursue a strategy dependent on peace breaking out, the Iraqis prepare for their war — and our servicemen and women, and their families, continue to suffer.

There is one way we might be able to succeed in Iraq. To continue an operation of this intensity and duration, we would have to abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service. Short of that, our best option is to leave Iraq immediately. A scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war, and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition.

America, it has been five years. It’s time to make a choice.

So it’s draft enough people to match the force size necessary to make the country work. Or, get out.

However belated the voices come from the officer corps, one thing no critic can deny. There’s an extreme shortage of officers with a firsthand perspective saying: stay in.

There’s your first clue.