The United States roll in promoting democracy in Iraq is not to be involved in the civil skirmishes of civil brawls between religious sects. Our job was to remove Saddam and the threats he made to the world. And now we help the fledgling government establish a government on their own. In the US we settle political differences without bloodshed, they do things a little differently, which appears to be tradition?

Indeed. They have to work thru that one on their own. If they set up the government correctly they should be able to sit down and work it out. But it will never be a "pretty" thing like our country now. Our protests are nothing compared to the kinds of vindictive tit-for-tat that they are into. And the religious fundamentalism between the Sunnis, Shiites and then with the Kurds all stuck in the game it is a mess indeed. But all this was kind of known and purple fingers prove that they at least desire democracy, freedom and liberty.

Now they are fighting over who will lead and which religious version should rule. That is all they know, religion ruling over people. Cannot change 3000 years over night. But it will change if they persevere. Leading a horse to water comments are appropriate too. It is too bad they could not look into their future and see that vision now; they might just lay down their mistempered weapons and here the sentences of those who already share the fruits of freedom. Consider all this in 2006.