The Collapse of Iraq

H.D.S. Greenway explains what is happening in Iraq, National stress in Iraq:

"It is a familiar pattern in the breakup of empires and countries when the lid of controlling power is lifted. 'Everywhere there is a clear loss of authority, loss of legitimacy of existing authority,' political scientist Andre Markovits once told me. 'When national structure and empires collapse, people will turn inwards to find security and a sense of identity within the old kin group, clan, tribe, nationality, or whatever else defines the ethnic survival group.' In India then, as in Arab parts of Iraq now, the survival group is defined by religion. The age-old questions of who is to inherit what, who will own the land, and who will have power are as pertinent for broken countries as for broken marriages, or for siblings whose parents have died leaving an untidy estate. What will be the division of the spoils?"

Our leaders are supposed to learn from history so they don't repeat the same mistakes.