The St Louis Post-Dispatch has a long article today about the options for governing Iraq once we’ve invaded and kicked out Saddam Hussein. Basically, the article dismantles the plan put forward by the hawks in the Bush administration — that there’s a suitable Iraqi government waiting in exile for the day they can begin governing. Close inspection none of the exile groups can muster anything resembling a consensus, and that none of them have any support within Iraq. If we invade Iraq, it’s going to be up to us (and the United Nations) to administer and provide security for the country during a transition period that ultimately gives way to a legitimate, representative Iraqi government. That’s what we did after World War II, that’s what we’ve done in Kosovo and Bosnia, and that’s what we’ll have to do in Iraq. If the Bush administration isn’t ready to take on that responsibility, they may as well leave Saddam in power.