Why We Will Never See Democracy in the Middle East

[Kahlessa]

Here’s a thought-provoking essay:

THE CITIZEN AND THE TRIBESMAN
(or Why We Will Never See Democracy in the Middle East)
By Steven Pressfield
www.stevenpressfield.com/content/op-ed2.asp

[Space Monkey]

The Iraqi soccer team is made up of both Shiites and Sunnis.

[Kahlessa]

lskeeter said:

The Iraqi soccer team is made up of both Shiites and Sunnis.

I read that. And not all Iraqis divide themselves up along ethnic and religious lines. I guess there are those who can rise above their tribal identity and those who cannot.

I don't know how much Pressman's essay applies to Iraq but it does have wider implications. Someone from Russia told me that the essay accurately describes much of the mindset among Russians.

To have a democracy that brings freedom, people have to be willing to tolerate opinions that differ from their own. And that is a foreign concept to some peoples of the world. (Not to mention some people here)