Everyone wonders just when we'll all hand over Iraq to the Iraqis. The common theory is we should wait for a time when thre Iraqi police and army are in a position to maintain peace.

At midnight tonight the UK army will officially withdraw from Northern Ireland and hand control back to the police force there – 38 years after they arrived.

Fair enough, we're just looking for a chance to let another army take control of Iraq so we've got a lower target to aim for there, but, we should still be thinking about a time when Iraq will be peaceful enough that military rule is excessive. Just another 30-40 years then. Well, at least once it happen Bush and Blair may have re-written hostory enough that they are remembered as heroes after all.