Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael
American style centralized democracy cannot be simply transplanted, so try partitioning. That will most likely work as most Iraqis think of themselves first and foremost as part of a tribe or clan or as loyal to a specific line of religious leaders going up to the highest level - Ayotellahs.
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BZZZZ. Wrong. You're stereotyping. Ayotollahs are unique to Shi'a Islam, which is practiced primarily in Iran, Afghanistan, parts of Pakistan, and northeastern Iraq--the Persian and semi-Persian areas. Sunni Muslims have no religious leaders; anyone can get up on the pulpit and preach.
Also, not all Iraqis are Bedouin, Mike. They may identify with one family name or another, but they are not nearly as tribal as you're making them out to be, especially in the urban areas.
Sunni Arabs in the south, Shi'a Persians in the northeast, and Kurds in the nortwest--good lord, it's India-Pakistan-Bangladesh all over again.
