Astralis,
Remember Iraq
From Friedman-
"It still feels to me as if we’ve made Iraq just safe enough for its politicians to be obstinate, corrupt or reckless on our dime. Even the moderate Kurds must have developed some kind of death wish, allowing their radicals to simultaneously provoke both Turkey and Iran and risking the island of real decency the Kurds have built in the north."
This has also been my impression. We've been subsidizing bad behavior and deluding ourselves that we're witnessing the "growing pangs" of a new democracy.
“'We have created a real case of moral hazard in Iraq,' said Marc Lynch, a Middle East specialist at George Washington University. 'Because all the key players think the Americans are going to bail them out, they have no incentive to make any real concessions to one another.'”
That's only one-half of the coin, Astralis, because all the key players also retain delusions of win-lose scenarios and believe that we'll eventually leave. Is it then a surprise that they use our time, money, and blood to further their ends in preparation for the show-down they envision after our departure?
Anyway, just mulling through SWJ late.