I'll say. And there are times....i.e. Saddam and Sons, that it seems certain people think they were "ruling" in those same ancient times.
I really hate to say this but, I'm not sure we are accomplishing much in Iraq regarding democracy. By that, I mean, when we leave, I think any semblance of democracy will leave as well.
I'm not sure which ME countries are democratic, which are moderate, which are under sharia law, but, I'm beginning to think that we will have to be a presence there for a long, long time, just to prevent those under sharia law from pressuring the others.
I read somewhere that 25% of the muslims in the US are wahabist. If this is true, we are really in trouble.