The inability of rival factions to name a new transitional government has extended a leadership vacuum, played into the hands of an emboldened Iraqi insurgency and slowed momentum created by the Jan. 30 elections.

It also has clearly frustrated President Bush's national security team, despite the president's own repeated assertions that democracy didn't come overnight to the United States and can't be expected to flower quickly in Iraq.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other top U.S. officials in recent days have undertaken a coordinated campaign to persuade leading Kurdish and Shiite politicians to come together and form a new government.

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There needs to be visible signs of progress in Iraq, and none will occur until the Iraqi leadership is formed and cohesively working together and avoiding factionisms. Enough already - time for the Iraqi politicians to fish or cut bait - start working together and get the job done or get the heck out of the way(Ayad Allawi and the Sunnis) and let a real government take hold and move the country forward while there's still a country. As for the "insurgents," the die-hard Baathists and the terrorists - it's long past time for the bugler to sound the Deguello - no quarter and no prisoners, it's time to get rid of Mr Nice Guy.

Yep, when it come to the safety of our troops - count me in as a hard-liner. Forget any thoughts of a "hands-off" policy as long as our troops are at risk. As long as it's our money and our lives at risk - stay hands on, and we should never have given any consideration to the idea of doing otherwise.