> There should be some really stable democracies there by now Why would anyone ever assume that? I mean, the country was essentially started from scratch afte

> There should be some really stable democracies there by now Why would anyone ever assume that? I mean, the country was essentially started from scratch after the 2003 invasion, the constitution of Iraq was ratified in 2005, and 5 years later the coalition forces abandoned Iraq and left the fragile regime to fend off for themselves. This happened in a moment in time when 3 or 4 neighboring regimes were interfering directly in Iraq and the past ruling class, civilian and military, (i.e., the ones who actually had any experience running things) was banned and forced without any option beyond mobilizing for a rebellion. No wonder Iraq succumbed into a civil war a couple of years after the US abandoned it.