No really, congrats to John Kerry. Just when I start to really get my swerve on, ripping into him nicely, he takes a calculated and eloquent lurch towards sanity with this sober piece in the WaPo. Does it make up for all of the previously outrageous rhetoric? Nope. But credit where credit is due. The most important excerpt:

The extremists attacking our forces should know they will not succeed in dividing America, or in sapping American resolve, or in forcing the premature withdrawal of U.S. troops. Our country is committed to help the Iraqis build a stable, peaceful and pluralistic society. No matter who is elected president in November, we will persevere in that mission.

Read QandO's typically great analysis.