If not the president's plan, then what?

Personally, I think the new plan is a good one, and about 3 years late... However, I wish the current "opposition" party to the administration (the Democrats), would put forth their own plan or just back the President. Either come up with your own idea or shut up because sitting back from the sidelines and nit-picking and complaining about the strategy without offering any alternatives just invalidates your argument.

So my answer to your question has to be "then nothing." The ISG's plan included this troop surge for the purpose of training Iraqis, so even that isn't a real alternative, just a slightly modified version in that it includes negotiations with the enemies: Iran and Syria.

The new plan is the solution, but if you do want to criticize it, then come up with a better plan...

Then what? Yes, that's the problem, no one seems to have a solution. The stupidity exercised by the white house over the past 4 years has got us into a mess that there may not be an answer to except declaring victory and coming home.