Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry last week jumped into the fray over "what next in Afghanistan" with his reservation about increasing the U.S. troop level. It makes sense to us.

Mr. Eikenberry's point of view is particularly important because it has extra credibility. Not only is he a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, but he also served two tours in Afghanistan, including as commander of U.S. forces.

The ambassador's written recommendation to President Barack Obama was sent in a telegram from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, but it was made public through a leak to the media. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates made a fuss Thursday about that leak and leaks of information on the Fort Hood shooting, saying that "Everybody ought to just shut up" and that he will end the career of any leakers.

It is easy to understand why Mr. Gates wants to keep the Eikenberry option away from public attention. Reports say Mr. Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other senior officials are pushing hard for raising the U.S. troop level in Afghanistan by at least 30,000, to close to 100,000. Any public pressure to consider Mr. Eikenberry's proposal runs counter to the recommendations of Mr. Gates and others.

At the same time, what argument is there for keeping discussion of this important policy matter outside Americans' awareness? It is, after all, the lives of more of our soldiers that Mr. Gates and his cohorts want to put at risk and billions of dollars more of our money that they would be spending by escalating the war. Why shouldn't there be public discussion of these options?

There is another alternative that does not seem to be on the table, the one that brings the war to an end. Administration officials say Mr. Obama, in the Afghanistan discussions, has been asking where the "off-ramps" are on any strategy that might be adopted.

That sounds right. Let's hope that it will be only a few miles until we reach and take one.

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