Weekly Standard contributing editor and McCain adviser Robert Kagan writes in: "Some conservatives, it seems to me, have lost a sense of proportion and historical context in the present debate. I have been somewhat stunned to watch the conservative attacks on McCain, especially when coming from those who at one time professed to consider the war in Iraq and the overall war on terror the paramount issues of the moment. (I am also surprised at the lack of support he has been getting from those who agree with Norman Podhoretz that we are engaged in World War IV. If it is, then perhaps a person so obviously willing and able to fight that war could be spared a kind word.) People can prefer one Republican candidate over another, but it strikes me as reckless to throw overboard a Republican who bears significant responsibility for helping to turn around what a year ago had seemed impending failure in Iraq. The consequences of such a defeat, needless to say, would have been catastrophic for the country and, incidentally, for the Republican party. "It is worth trying to imagine what things would be like today had it not been for the surge. We would at this moment be deep into the ugly process of extracting ourselves from Iraq, probably in a quite disorderly fashion, with terrorist and sectarian violence on the rise, al Qaeda emboldened and pushing toward victory, and with the ripple effect this would be having in the region and around the world. People like to talk about the hinge of history. The president's decision to buck conventional wisdom and overwhelming political pressure (including from within his own party), and rule out a drawdown of forces, and indeed to go in the opposite direction and surge forces - this will go down in history as a rare moment of political leadership. It will certainly go down as a critical turning point in American history. And everyone knows McCain played a key role in that effort, working closely with Jack Keane and Fred Kagan to help influence the administration and then leading the public battle, along with Joe Lieberman. Whatever people may think about his positions on this or that issue, his role in that effort ought to be reason enough to be willing to support him fully and enthusiastically in the general election, especially against Democratic candidates who to this day call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq. It may also be worth pointing out that the only reason Republicans have any chance of winning in 2008 is because of the surge. Imagine a Republican running this year as the American position in Iraq crumbled, with images of defeat and slaughter on the TV every night, instead of signs of progress. People might reflect a bit on these facts before entering upon a crusade against someone who behaved with such high-minded political courage, at the apparent expense of his electoral prospects, at a time when many others tried to duck."