The American government is in another one of those damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't situations with regard to Iraq's new government.

There seem to be some people, including some Iraqi groups, saying, "Thanks for deposing that tyrant, now get the hell out so we can govern. We can handle it from here."

With all due respect, no, they can't. They need some help and guidance to write a new constitution, draw up a new set of laws, restructure their economy, and integrate the whole ball of wax. And if the U.S. just pulled out right now and left the Iraqi dissident groups in a hotel in Nasariya to figure it all out, I wouldn't be too damned hopeful for the outcome.

We've removed all authoritative structure, and in the meantime we need to replace it with a framework around which to build a new one. Once the new one is in place, we can withdraw our framework, and hopefully the structure will be solid enough to stand on its own.

But that just ain't gonna happen overnight. And if the U.S. just pulled out right now, it's doubtful a fledgling government would succeed, and then we'd be blamed for being too hands-off, or worse, abandoning them.

Seems to me that we should have instilled an interim civilian U.S. authority in Afghanistan, then transitioned it to Karzai and his lot. I think they'd be in much better shape right now. Long term we eventually want them to be able to function on their own, but right now they are in no state to handle it themselves.