THE FAILURE OF WARD-HEELER POLITICS.

Fifteen years ago, the forced removal of Saddam Hussein began.  Common Dreams posts a recollection by Sinan Antoon, formerly of Iraq, that includes this observation of how the installation of democracy went down.

We were still filming in Baghdad when L. Paul Bremer III, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, announced the formation of the so-called Governing Council in July 2003. The names of its members were each followed by their sect and ethnicity. Many of the Iraqis we spoke to on that day were upset with institutionalization of an ethno-sectarian quota system. Ethnic and sectarian tensions already existed, but their translation into political currency was toxic. Those unsavory characters on the governing council, most of whom were allies of the United States from the preceding decade, went on to loot the country, making it one of the most corrupt in the world.

The beginning of wisdom might be in understanding that weaponizing identity politics didn't turn out well in Iraq, colonial power conceits or not, and it isn't turning out well for the colonial power either.