Iraq and the Swiss Model — First, Understand the Problem

(this was originally a response to a comment on my overview of Swiss society and governance, entitled “The People are the Sovereign”

Iraq is an artificial country. Like so many post-colonial states, Iraq was composed of borders drawn for the convenience of the colonial powers and not because of any shared qualities of the folks who live within them. Also, during the Mandatory period, the British used the tactic of installing a minority group (Sunni Arabs) as a ruling class over the majority (Shia Arabs). This followed from Ottoman…