Michelle
Chicago 13 hours ago
This column reminds me of Friedman's McDonald's Theory of Conflict from the pre-war late 1990s, that essentially, shared love of American culture and consumerism would repair all the sectarian violence in the world and lead former enemies to join hand in hand in pursuit of Democracy and Capitalism. It didn't happen then, and it won't happen now. Kurds liking dates from Basra won't make them accept Shiite leadership, any more than American love of tacos will make Americans welcome Mexican immigration. Until something is done to fundamentally change thinking away from tribalism and ethnicity as the main source of personal identification and political power, no amount of cultural affinity is going to solve the Iraqi crisis, or any of the other ethnic conflicts around the globe.
Great! But if people were working and and advancing economically then self interest would trump tribal vendettas.
