Rules of Civilization

Tarnishing a Reputation as Storied Warriors reports on the weakness of pesh merga forces resisting the ISIS assault last month on the territorial capital of Erbil in Iraq. It's weakness that is being identified and dealt with by the Kurds and is an example of the resilient type of ally we require on the ground in the middle east. Never the less, geopolitical chess players thinking that such a local ally would be useful in expanding the rule of civilization much beyond the borders of Kurdistan in Iraq would be wrong in thinking that their fight for statehood can be converted to one of empire building.