TONY Blair described it as a "truly historic day for Iraq" while George Bush said it would send "a clear signal that terrorists can't win".

Others have branded the naming of an interim government in Baghdad, after great political wrangling behind the scenes, as a sham and a fudge.

There is no doubt that it has been a complex and, in many ways, unsatisfactory process. But a compromise cabinet is all that could realistically be expected in the circumstances.

In the end, the United Nations was seen to get its way over the appointment of Ghazi Yawer as President, while America got the Prime Minister it wanted in Iyad Allawi.

It is a crucial balance in terms of ensuring that there is enough representation in the cabinet to give democracy a fighting chance.

And while a caretaker administration is clearly a very significant and hopeful milestone, we all know that democracy remains an extremely difficult journey.

An upsurge in violence is guaranteed as terrorists seek to destabilise the foundations which have been so tentatively laid. The interim government will need to hold firm with multi-national support in the days, weeks and months before elections can take place.

For it is only when a democratically-elected government is in place in Iraq, with the backing of the United Nations, that a country painfully emerging from a wicked dictatorship can celebrate a truly historic day.

Fields of dreams

SO what chances of a unique English sporting double this summer: Tim Henman winning Wimbledon and England winning Euro 2004?

After Northern Echo the racehorse finally won a race last night, after dozens of inglorious runs and a total erosion of faith, the view here is that anything can happen...