[Old Teufel Hunden]

"I haven’t seen any evidence that the tribal societies of the Middle East with their Bronze-age religious fanaticism are remotely capable of the same."

Yes, they are a tribal society with the pashtuns the most dominant ethnic group. No, I don't see Jeffersonian Liberal Democracy breaking out in Afghanistan anytime soon. However, I disagree that they can't have a stable nation state that can stand up on it's own. When I used Korea as a comparison previously it had nothing to do with the comparison of their societies. It had everything to do with our commitment to them to re-build their society after a devastating war because it was in our national interests to see them not fall into communism. That is what we should focus on with Afghanistan. Help this fledgling nation state to be able to stand on it's own so it doesn't fall back into Islamo Fascists radicalism. The Afghans I have met and known want that also, not for America to rebuild their nation.

[Alberta's Child]

Think of the elements of the U.S. government that make this country so stable since its founding. I'll name three right off the bat:

1. The Bill of Rights

2. A bicameral legislature

3. No official state religion

Did you ever wonder why -- when the United States has gone around with its delusion idea of nation-building and "spreading democracy" around the world over the years -- the governments we establish never adopt these things?