Paul Bremer strode into the sweltering Iraqi capital of Baghdad last week, sounding to all the world like the new sheriff in town--albeit one wearing a suit and tie. For a city racked by instability and violence, President Bush's newly appointed civilian chief promised a new, no-nonsense approach to law and order. Referring to the thousands of criminals Saddam Hussein freed before the war, the seasoned diplomat and counterterrorism expert declared, "It's time we put these people back in jail."
But after the first month of U.S. occupation of Iraq, it's clear that bringing security--to say nothing of democracy--to a...