Excellent post, and though I shudder at another derogatory word: "Tribalism". (Though not as evil as 'Islamofacist'). That said, Africa and Middle East hardly have a monopoly on 'Tribalism'. Certain Christian Evangelical and Jewish Zionist groups also qualify. Whether we name Hamas and Hezbullah 'Tribal' or 'Resistence' (ie WWII in Europe) is another subject, but "terrorist" I'm starting to dismiss as Western nonsense more each day. What you're referring to is individual groups taking the law into their own hands as their states fail them. Britain failed my country, America, and Louis XVI failed France. Like it or not, Paul Revere would be considered a "terrorist" today, in either a post 9/11 Bush America or Middle Eastern say, Saudi Arabia. No coincidence the ruling families are personal friends.
Your comments on "Free Market Globalisation" I find sore, to say the least; not you personally, but the concept of "globalisation". Strangely, for a free market capitalist my whole life, I never 'bought' it. From its birth, it searched the wrong avenues: Cheap, downtrodden labor and corrupt governments to shift the burden of pollution and human rights to someone else, or not solve the problem at all. Live in a palace and be chauffered in a Maybach, let the next generation worry. Benazir Bhutto is no heroine or martyr, just part of the above system. As you say, her son and (corrupt) widower will take over the er..Pakistan "Peoples" Party. The name alone is a fraud, after their robberies, of their "People". Ha!
Perhaps the best thing said I've ever heard was in South America where I once lived on late night Brasilian TV. A retired old facist Dictator (Paraguay? I forget.) anyway, changed his ways waiting for the Almighty. "In my day, the poor didn't know they were poor. Today they do. Even the poorest can buy a TV communially, and view how we live. If we want social peace, things must change." It is interesting to me how progressive S. America is becoming, since America became so entrenched in the folly and horror of Iraq. Now it's time for Middle Eastern leaders to speak up, and forget Bush and our corrupt way of thinking to solve their problems. We - America neocons, and dictatorial Middle East leaders, are only making the "Tribes" more angry. I don't blame them. The good old General from Paraguay(?) made his country safer for his children than America or ME dictators are for theirs. That's what I say on these posts: think modern, think different, think.... But don't "think" that French made scarf around Pelosi's neck or Laura's secret baked bean recipe for Chalabi's BBQ are going to save us. We screwed up big time. We must face that. As the pretty lady sort of admits. America - and Britain- had their chance - and blew it...precisely for the reasons she stated.

I recommend Erich Fromm's "Escape from Freedom". Tribalism, conservatism and religion takes strength from individuals inability to stand on their own for both practical and psychological reasons. If globalism had not appeared, would tribal, feudal and other forms of societies disapear off the face of the earth on their own? If that were the case, how come it took millenia and bloody revolutions and wars to bring democracy after 40,000 years of human existence.

Democracy as we *think* we know it was not even practiced in ancient Greece and is very new to even most Western countries (WW2 ended only 6 decades ago, what was Germany, Spain, etc. before that? Was the US a true democracy with segregation in place? etc.).

So, it comes to me as no surprise that people would compromise their own individual freedoms even when they are offered on a silver platter...

It takes courage to stand as an individual and most people are not raised, trained or educated to have civil courage. It is easier to mold someone as a public accountant (e.g. teach them math and accougting rules), good enough to create Enron; much harder to train them to be Thomas Jeferson, Gandhi, etc. if such a thing is possible.

"The destruction of the modern state in Iraq, after years of a punitive blockade and an American invasion and occupation, has propelled tribalism as substitute for a coherent state... In Iraq, the U.S. has entrenched sectarian and tribal divisions by siding with the Shia for four years, then bombing and co-opting the Sunni tribes... Washington... is (now) resorting to fuelling tribalism, a ploy that former British colonialists, local Arabs and African leaders have tried for decades. It is scary to think that while the world is talking democracy, global and national leaders are fomenting tribalism - all for the sake of grabbing power."

Thank you for your remarkable, enlightening, though all too brief analysis of HOW we, the "civilized", have had the merit to once again move the world "forward" toward barbarism, at the beginning of this 21st century. We can indeed by very proud of ourselves...

One feels you need say so much more, when space and time permit.

Thanks again.

Indeed! The nation state is becoming extinct as it fractures into tribal groups based on class, religion, race, etc. Us versus them is the 21st century mantra of power; the lemming draw to the cliffs of oblivion!

exellent analysis.accept my congratulation.
here i want to ay you more thing.
1 the policy of America in muslim world is to divide them on nationality and let them fight with each other .armed them by switching the loyalty of america like policy of past imperialist power britian.
2 the policy of america in allies world is to get their support by showing the threat of fundamentalism.
what the peace lover of the world can do against the bully of america like nuking japan,threatening for start of world war 3?.

Another good article/point...

Lamis, gotta love you. At least you accept the premise that ideology and power is behind what looks like tribalism.

However, this has gotta stop. We fomented Islamic radicalism. We now foment tribalism. Hah these are endemic to your lands and you have failed to cure them with reformation of your religious and / or political systems.

When, when, when, will Arabs stand up and say, yes WE are responsible for our problems.

On Kenya, to beat my drum again on yes, Taliban style slaughter is actually yes Taliban style slaughter.

Is the following the forgery?

http://www.eakenya.org/AAEAKUpdate/RAILA_MUSLIM_MOU.pdf

If it is real, this discussion about tribalism is rather moot. A newly elected President in a multi-confessional state that started to impose Sharia nationally would precipitate civil war and / or military coup.

Just when you were thinking, Kenya WASN'T another front of the Islamic radical terror campaign