Even as the war in Iraq reaches its endgame, the task of trying to rebuild the country, both physically and politically, is already under way...but the task of identifying which Iraqis the US and British forces can work with is proving something of a difficulty...
The fractured character of the Iraqi opposition-in-exile is well known.. now that the Saddam has lost his grip on power, the fault lines within Iraqi society are becoming more than apparent..
The tensions which have erupted in the Shia holy city of Najaf - where a prominent Shia cleric was assassinated last week..is a blatant warning of dangers to come.
However.. one of the names to watch for in the coming weeks will be Ahmad Chalabi.. this man has the support of the Washington hawks.. and is hoped to be the man to set Iraq on a democratic path..
Mind you.. having said that.. how this is to be efected in a country that has never had democratic' rule is as yet moot..
We'll see perhaps.. what the UN will play in this..
If they're given the chance..