War Coordinator

A team of West Wing players led by national security adviser Stephen Hadley has tried to keep turf-conscious agencies marching in the same direction on military, political and reconstruction fronts. However, that the White House probably should have recruited someone to oversee the war effort a year ago.

Critics say the administration's job of coordinating the war has never gone smooth enough or fast enough. And now two key members of the White House team focused on the war are leaving.

The new job comes as Bush's combat troop buildup is trying to bring a degree of calm in Iraq so political reconciliation and rebuilding can take root.

Vice President Dick Cheney said in a recent radio interview that after a war coordinator is named, the basic chain of military command would continue to run from the president to the secretary of defense and down to commanders in the field. But he noted that the state, defense and other U.S. agencies have roles in Iraq, such as helping the Iraqis set up a sound judicial system.