Nations and Post-Nations, Somalia and Beyond -- Jinsa

To sum up the attached article from JINSA (JINSA Online -- #631 Nations and Post-Nations), which talks about Somalia and is interesting, "There is a lesson in “nation building” here for the U.S. There are nation-states who came together over years of shared experiences (including warfare), and some that have ethnic and tribal homogeneity. Some few come together over an agreed-upon set of principles. Most, however, are the results of lines badly drawn by outside powers, giving trans-national identities - religious, ethnic or tribal - strong influence among people for whom the national identity is either irrelevant or a source of brutality."

Can anyone figure out the lessons that we are supposed to take from this article and apply in Iraq other than, "stay the course"? It seems to me that we either divide the country along the lines of homogeneous groups (which will involve some spillage and refugee issues) or find a new uniting ideology, other than Islam. We tried the latter, and it has not worked -- either the execution was flawed or the people were not ready for the concept. Maybe it's time we try the latter?

See also my article, October 23, 2006, on the relative value, legality and humanity of population exchanges (scroll to the bottom of that linked page),

Reuters on Jewish Refugees -- For Israeli-Palestinian Peace, Palestinians Must Get Realistic About their Demand For "Right of Return" To Israel