Combining two of my favorite things in the Ukraine:



Handover on the Fly - The ceremony was laughable, with the faux French furniture in the bunker-like setting and the blue binder, which apparently holds "legality" within it. Yet I, and many Iraqi's it appears, are ready to give this new arrangement a little bit of time. It is not encouraging to read of Iraqi police beating suspects in front of Iraqi reporters to show that order will be imposed at any cost. And the IHT reports of shopkeepers eing most enthused about the pistol-whipping they witnessed. Perhaps this strongman aspect of Iraqis was under appreciated. It will be interesting to see how the US and world reacts to the first videotaped beating or torture at the hands of "free Iraq."