Gun to the head

Message: "We are the mafia, and we are only about killing people to preserve our power." At least the Nazis and the communists in Vietnam pretended that they had the best interests of the "people" at heart.

I remain cautiously optimistic about Iraq because 80% of the population (i.e., the Shiites and the Kurds) have been oppressed for decades by these thugs and I think that majority will see that there is no choice but to defeat this insurgency. Whether actual democracy can take root is another question, but the recent "there will be no turbans in the government" consensus is a good sign.