Why Do I Bother? I should just automatically link to Robert Lane Greene's column in TNR. It's always sharp, always unconventional. In this article he proposes the possibility that other countries in the coalition could help us most by pulling their troops out of Iraq.

The massive American assault on Fallujah after four American contractors were killed there made clear that violence against Americans will carry a heavy price. It is difficult to imagine any of the foreign troop contingents in Iraq responding the same way. In most cases, there simply isn't the political will from home governments. Plus, their deployments are generally small, relatively lightly armed forces sent as symbolic political commitments; they were never intended for heavy fighting.

This is no slight to those countries. But since we're running the show, militarily, we have to face the fact that, for example, redeploying our troops to Kut to back up the Ukranian forces is an unecessary distraction. Greene continues:

But to balance the increased Americanization of the military effort, the strongest display of international political unity yet is required. A removal of foreign troops could be pitched as a redeployment of their assets--military, financial, and diplomatic--where they can be best used. Our allies can replace their military contribution in Iraq with an increased financial one. NATO members could shift troops to Bosnia and Kosovo, perhaps lightening the burden on Americans there. And our friends can support a stronger United Nations mandate for the occupation. This would mean America would have to grant the United Nations a true role in Iraqi politics; the world body, after all, is unwilling to serve as mere window-dressing at this point. But to maintain the coalition's unity, such a price is not only acceptable but necessary.

I agree with this in principle, but what the UN expects to do is beyond me. They showed their own risk aversion once before in a totally non-military role. So if Greene's thesis is correct (that we shouldn't shift responsibilities to any country, or organization, that can't or won't fulfill them), wouldn't that apply a fortiori to the UN?