UNEXPECTED TWIST

Whatever you think of Bush's plan to divide Iraq into three administrative districts and pull out most of the U.S. troops, consider this particularly interesting aspect that has caught the eye of the Times of India: U.S. requests for troops from both India and Pakistan, who would probably serve together in the section under Polish command. Here's what ToI has to say about it (from an article that you can read here):

Although both India and Pakistan opposed the US war on Iraq, they are being asked to send troops because they are among the most experienced nations when it comes to peacekeeping operations. Throwing the troops together [. . .] also appears to be Washington’s way of defusing tensions between the two sides.

This plan seeks to contribute to the continuing thaw in India-Pakistan relations (see the latest here). Again, I'm not really a fan of Bush's foreign policy, and I'm still not sure about the war, but I like this idea. It shows a lack of vindictiveness (India opposed the war very vocally and even passed a resolution condemning the invasion as U.S. troops entered Baghdad), creativity, and a willingness to be attentive to grave foreign policy crises such as the continuing tensions between the two nuclear powers on the subcontinent.

Why is the administration boxing out the French, Germans, and Russians, then? (See the WaPo article here.) Because they don't have troops amassed at each others' borders? I don't get it.