A good beginning would be to start by replacing the US-appointed Presidential and Governing Councils of Iraq. Of the nine Presidential Council members, seven are not from within Iraq and the other two are Kurds, who were largely autonomous even under Saddam. The council is suspect to many Iraqis as a tool of the United States. Council members like Chalabi [Contracts Go to Allies of Iraq's Chalabi] [Unpaid bills, fraud dim Chalabi's future], one from the Iranian Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, and the other six foreigners justifiably escalate the distrust.

As soon as possible, take this as an opportunity to start repairing relations with the rest of the world. Have the UN step in and give them full control over setting up the governance of Iraq. Let them cancel all the "crony contracts" handed out to American companies like Halliburton and set up a process of open bidding - if American corporations really are the best choice, they'll get the contracts back anyhow. Let the UN draw up a method that would elect governing representatives from Iraq rather than foreign countries, and let the Iraqis do the choosing themselves.

Iraqis have already elected local councils, and these grass-roots organizations could elect representatives to a truly representative national council. Tribal councils have a centuries-old history in Iraq and even Saddam respected their opinions. They're a natural to eliminate the taint of "being governed by American stooges."

And keep the troops in Iraq as long as it takes to stabilize the country.

But do stop listening to ideologues like Perle, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Bolton, Libby, Abrams and the rest of them.

Do what's right for America and the world, instead.