As usual, the NY Times is quick to point out when they think things in Iraq aren't moving as quickly as they would like.

Almost six months after Iraqis voted for their first full-term government, two of the most essential jobs in that government remain unfilled: the interior minister, who oversees the police, and the defense minister, who oversees the army. That would be a serious political crisis in any country. It is little short of calamitous for Iraq.

I guess they weren't able to retract this before this piece of news hit the wires overnight:

Iraq appoints security ministers

The Iraqi parliament has approved the prime minister's nominations for the three key security posts in the new Cabinet, ending a stalemate among politicians over the filling of these positions.

Lawmakers Tuesday approved Jawad Bolani, a Shiite, for interior minister; Gen. Abdel Qader Jassim, a Sunni who has been Iraq's ground forces commander, for defense minister; and Shirwan al-Waili, a Shiite, for minister of state for national security.