Welcoming a sovereign Iraq

Monday's transfer of sovereignty back to Iraq was smart on nearly all accounts. It undermined any attacks planned to disrupt the originally planned June 30 handover. Although attacks may still occur, the transfer at least went smoothly.\nDelivered two days early (while not exactly as much of a feat as, say, two months early), it signified a country ready to govern itself. Freshly sworn-in Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and his colleagues have a chance to show they're in charge, though one can feel the fingerprints of the United States upon them. It gives them a chance to condemn insurgents who now will be striking against Iraq, not against a U.S. occupation. \nIn a country dominated by bad news, the transition seems a little easier whenever there is good news from Iraq. We know it will still be complicated. We understand that U.S. troops will still be needed. We know it may be years before Iraq will control everything within its own borders.\nBut we also know the United States has a huge interest in making sure Iraq can hold its footing. Its liberation was our doing; if it fails now during its pivotal rebuilding months, we will be as equally culpable. Regardless of how you feel about the merits of the war, and we certainly have opinions across the spectrum, it is now appropriate to welcome the newly sovereign Iraq.