How to do debugging prints in Python?
<p>I have a function like this....</p>

<p><code>def validate_phone(raw_number, debug=False):</code></p>

<p>I want the debug flag to control whether it outputs logging statements. For example:</p>

<pre><code>if (debug):
  print('Before splitting numbers', file=sys.stderr)

split_version = raw_number.split('-')

if (debug):
  print('After splitting numbers', file=sys.stderr)
</code></pre>

<p>That code is very repetitive however.  What is the cleanest (DRYest?) way to handle such if-flag-then-log logic?</p>