With guerrilla attacks overshadowing reconstruction efforts in Iraq, the Pentagon is considering formation of a specialized force to help shepherd war-torn countries from the end of major combat to the start of civilian nation-building, government officials say. In an about-face for the Bush administration, defense officials are quietly examining proposals including a small joint-services unit of a few thousand troops that could be assembled in as little as a year to perform policing, civil affairs, engineering, medical and other duties in hot spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Full Story