WOW, you will get many replies to this I am sure. I understood that the military's participation after the war (as far as the leadership goes) is interim only until the interim civilian leadership is put in place and that is not unusual. I agree that the military should hold the role as you described, but there is a very tenuous period immediately following the war that requires military leadership-during the organization of the civilian interim government-security-training of police, etc.

You may find this interesting:

http://www.lexisnexis.com/academic/2upa/Aph/truman_docs/guide_intros/tru5.htm



>The time for decisions on the subject matter is obviously very close. There are apparently several different 'plans' being discussed by varying interests.
>
>One was discussed in modest detail on "60 Minutes" last Sunday. For several months now Iraqi ex-pats have been working towards designing/manning the interim government (between end of war and elections in Iraq) and the current chosen one to be designated "leader" (if only as a figurehead) is one Mr. Chalaby who has not lived in Iraq since the late 60s. In all there are 25 government "ministeries" in the plan discussed and they are working out details of day-to-day life for post-war Iraq.
>
>This whole plan is the brain-child of one Paul Wolfowitz, the same Paul Wolfowitz who is Deputy to the Secretary of Defense and a prominent member (possibly even the leader) of the cabal that assured the war would take place.
>
>It is RUMOURED that the U.S. State Department, U.K. interests and the U.N. all have significant problems with the Wolfowitz/Rumsfeld plan.
>
>This morning on CNN came an unconfirmed report that serious consideration is being given to immediately commence the emplacement of the interim government even as the regime leadership remain at large and fighting continues in Baghdad.
>
>So, just as Wolfowitz/Perle/other-cabalists pressed and succeeded for an early start to the war, th same crowd appears intent on pulling the same stunt to assure that THEIR VERSION of governance is imposed in Iraq.
>WOLFOWITZ IS A DANGEROUS MAN TO THIS WORLD!!!
>
>Does anyone in America ask themselves WHY it is that a military led "interim government" is a requirement? Cannot something be installed that can use the military as the military is used in the U.S. itself - UNDER civilian command???
>
>What is this obsession of Wolfowitz/Rumsfeld/other-cabal to run the whole show, even those parts that extend beyond their 'expertise'? Could it have anything at all to do with pilot-testing their future plans for planned later conflicts??? One thing is certain - this war is nothing like the situation post-WWII in Japan or Germany or Italy and it is not reasonable to apply that model to this situation.