I think the question at hand is whether you can get everyone in the Islamic Middle East to identify with being Arab (ethnic), Iraqi or Saudi (state), or Democracy (government type) rather than being a sharia following Muslim. I don't know the answer to whether that is possible. Up against a lot of history there. Maybe too much. But who knows?
Turkey is a positive example though that came from within and that land is not completely free of terrorism but people certainly identify with these other institutions enough that no one ever worries about Turkish terrorists (though there are some).
If Iraq looks like Turkey in 20 years and the goal is as Mike says I'd say that's a hell of a success. If it looks like Syria in twenty years I'd say it's a failure.
Last edited by Colin at May 25 2004, 10:36 AM
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