I believe Samuel Huntington's book ("Clash") has already answered your wonderment. The countries with a civilizational/cultural tradition (not necessarily Western) were able to resume it even after major disruptions, sort of "return to the roots". And it is those roots which are now being seen plainly, just like they were visible in (most of) the past. Examples are everywhere - Czech, Poland, Hungary, Croatia (Western); Belarus, Russia, Serbia (East Orthodox); Middle East (tribal/Islamic); Central Asia (tribal/Islamic+ weak Orthodox transplant from Russia); African countries (weak western transplants on underlying tribal societies) and so on. So it is the roots and quality thereof which shows.
Thanks, makes sense. However, there are some exceptions, don't you think? Can it also be that in the other countries there was no tribal system? The establishment of colonies by Europe in Africa drew borders which cut across tribal borders, thereby artificially uniting enemies in one country still today.
Just a quibble, but Belarus is run by a hard-line Stalinoid and is probably a major player in arms proliferation. Remember the rumors that the Russians got Saddam out to Belarus last year? It is a police state.