President Bush marked the most somber of anniversaries yesterday by delivering a televised speech urging for more patience. The call was a bitter pill to swallow.

Four years prior, the president addressed the American people with another televised speech, one which began: "My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger."

Operation Iraqi Freedom, or what is now referred to as "the war in Iraq," had begun.

Sadly, the same uncertainty that existed then remains today. We are no closer to knowing when our troops will be leaving Iraq — or more importantly, how. The president has used terms such as "victory" and "success," the definitions of which remain elusive in a war where even the enemy is not fully defined.

In its four years, the war has claimed 3,200 American troops, not to mention the number of Iraqi casualties. And then there are the numerous news stories that have emerged since the war began that highlight faulty intelligence reports, and charges that the administration exaggerated the threat of Iraq.

Patience of the American people has all but run out, as evidenced by last November's vote.

But there are lessons to be learned. Just as we are now suffering the consequences of going into war, the effects of abruptly withdrawing our troops can be just as damaging. Democrats in the U.S. House are bringing up a war spending bill this week that requires the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by Sept. 1, 2008. While a concrete date is tempting, it is not the answer.

Indeed, four years of uncertainty is far too long. But what is needed now is a sound plan — one that demands a bipartisan effort and a measured approach, which was lacking when we went into Iraq. Maybe then we'll have a chance to exit this war by leaving the region, and ultimately the U.S., in a more stable and secure state.