It is no secret that the United States has had a difficult time of establishing a democracy in Iraq. Continued attacks, poor planning, and a stubborn belief by the American leadership that democracy rises on its own once a dictatorship is toppled, have all hampered the blooming of freedom in the Middle Eastern desert. Now, however, it seems that US President George W. Bush is finally willing to admit that mistakes have been made in post-war Iraq. On Thursday, he announced the creation of the Active Response Corps -- a group of foreign and civil service officers who will be trained to quickly establish pro-democracy programs in countries where such assistance is needed. Always more than happy to pass judgement on new American foreign policy programs, German commentators on Friday zero in for the attack.

The financial daily Handelsblatt sets the tone with its piece entitled "Belated Insight." The move, the paper argues, shows that Bush -- even if it took much too long -- has finally drawn the correct conclusions from the "debacle in Iraq." And, the paper argues, some good will likely come out of it, particularly in countries that need support after freeing themselves of despots. But there are some dangers. "The biggest peril is that such assistance will be forced upon those who haven't asked for it. The result could very quickly be the impression that the US is more interested in its own interests than in democratic values as such. Therefore, those in Washington who decide where to send their new Corps will have to show great sensitivity."

The conservative daily Die Welt is also hesitantly positive about the new initiative. It too points out to its readers that Bush's announcement should be read as an admission of past mistakes in Iraq. After all, it writes, "Washington apparently believed that one could introduce democracy merely by reminding (Iraqis) of the tyranny they once lived under." But the paper goes on to argue that Europe also needs to get involved in such an initiative. "It would be great if Bush's plan weren't merely criticized in Europe but were also met with a desire to help out. Europe, too, is interested in democracy in Iraq."

The "better-late-than-never" mantra is likewise taken up by the Financial Times Deutschland. The paper argues that the move is a very clear indication that Bush has completely abandoned his earlier skepticism relating to nation building. And the Corps is necessary. "The day-to-day running of a democracy is difficult to learn. In Eastern Europe, advisors from the US are already extremely welcome." One also hopes, the paper writes, that Bush's plan will be well-received even among those who have tended to be skeptical of his single-minded pursuit of democracy.

Yet not all German dailies are so positive. The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung agrees with others that Bush has learned his lessons, but asks if they were the right lessons. Indeed, the editorial is full of questions that are worth considering. "Haven't Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans taught us anything? Is there really a lack of foreign influence in these places?" In answer to its question, the paper posits that the threat of failure in these places comes more from an almost colonial attitude of those working to promote democracy. Might it be more sensible, the paper asks, to allow democracy a bit more time to develop as it has in Slovakia and as it seems to be doing in Ukraine? "It has not yet been proven which method achieves the final aim quicker."