History, and common sense, Bucko.

Iraq is an artifical entity, created by the British of 3 different ethnic groups. They have never gotten along. And won't.

All that kept 'em together was repression, brutal. That's the service Saddam did perform for the area - held that mess together, with brutality and violence.

Which, by the by, is exactly what the US is trying to do now.

So, democracy? Am I cynical - no. Realistic. Diversity on that scale has a hard time working. There is NO comparison between this situation and post-WWII Germany and Japan - they were unified cultures, societies.

There will be civil war. And read that uninhibited neocon, Mayer, who advocates wiping out the Sunnis if they don't go calmly into the gathering storm of repressive majority rule. Wiping 'em out!!

The threat of which being what kept Saddam in control and the country relatively peaceful.

Now, what does the US need a $1.5 billion embassy for? To run the country.

With the help of a repressive military.

A la Saddam.

Arf