DEMOCRACY 101. Soldiers do it all.

Baghdad -- U.S. Army Lt. Tom Casey and the rest of the 1st Platoon are combat soldiers, armed and trained to take out enemy fighters. But in recent weeks, their mission has expanded, and now they are trying to help build grassroots democracy in Iraq...

...When they are not out chasing criminals and confiscating weapons, they and many other soldiers stationed in Iraq are at the forefront of an experiment in nation-building whose success or failure could well be the difference between a successful U.S. occupation of Iraq -- or disaster...

...In just three weeks, however, they have helped Baghdad's residents select 56 neighborhood councils. They have about 30 more to go -- and by the end of June hope to have established an interim City Council.

"We had to task it to the military because, as usual, they are the only guys on the ground and with sufficient numbers," said Lt. Col. P.J. Durmer, who works with the U.S.-led civil administration...

Yep. The rest is here.