"HANG IN THERE, BECAUSE IT'LL ALL START COMING TOGETHER"

This position meshes very nicely with the information we got from the former 1st Brigade commander yesterday.

Reflecting on his four months as head of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, Garner brushed aside criticism of his efforts. He asserted that the United States would succeed in building a new, democratic, and peaceful Iraq.

''I think there's unrealistic expectations on the part of those who are criticizing,'' Garner said.

Those involved in the reconstruction effort -- redubbed the Coalition Provisional Authority -- have known that, he said.

''I said, `When you get there, it's going to be the most chaotic thing you ever experienced in your life. And you'll look up and say: ''How in the hell can we get this done?'' Garner said. ''And I just said, `Hang in there, because it'll all start coming together.' And it is now.''

That task, Garner said, will take a year or two. He added that his replacement, L. Paul Bremer III, ''has got at least the third-hardest job in the world -- behind [President] Bush and [British Prime Minister Tony] Blair -- and it may be harder.''

Read it all here.