Niall Ferguson: "It's time to send in the blue helmets"

Niall Ferguson is an author/columnist that I'm never sure what to make of. Sometimes his ideas make absolutely no sense. Take this one from his most recent LA Times column:

For these reasons, I see only one credible alternative to Bush's strategy: U.S. forces should hand over responsibility for Iraq's security not to the Iraqis but to a new force provided by the United Nations.

Cute idea, but wrought with problems. First, where is the UN going to get this force from? I can't think of many nations that would be contributing to it. Second, UN forces are notable for two things: Raping women and girls, and avoiding confrontation at all costs. How, praytell, is a UN force going to accomplish anything in Iraq? Third, who honestly thinks the UN is going take on that kind of responsibility when it has been ducking responsibility on Iraq since the early 1990's. Why now?

Ferguson isn't saying it directly, but this is what he is offering in this piece: A way for the United States to cop out of finishing the job in Iraq.