Democrats and Nation-Building (washingtonpost.com): "The French have made their condition for support -- and without France no U.N. resolution can be passed -- the transfer of power to a provisional Iraqi authority within a month, followed by elections, the full transfer of sovereignty and presumably the evacuation of the Anglo-Saxons by spring.

This ridiculous timetable is a transparent attempt simply to get America out at the cost of undermining the entire reconstruction effort. Such a proposal will do nothing for Iraq but guarantee chaos. Civil society, industrial infrastructure and the economy were wrecked by Hussein. Iraq needs at least a modicum of rebuilding before even a coherent and unified government could hope to rule effectively -- let alone the current Governing Council, which is indeed representative but for that very reason still divided, unused to compromise and therefore not ready to govern. "

Bubba Krauthammer says "no way, that French condition is not serious". But if the UN takes over, develops a real coalition of nations to rebuild Iraq, the US won't have to pay for it, at least not the majority. Doesn't that sound great?

But wait, there's more. That way, the US soldiers, both career and reservists, will be able to go home and stop being shot at. Now how does that sound?

And do you really believe that the US will get things going in Iraq? Let's see: the US Army two days ago killed 8 Iraqi policemen by mistake. Now how is that for nation building? Really makes you want to be part of the new Iraqi administration!

So, Mein Herr Bubba, what's so unserious about that?