Couple of mutually unrelated links from a thread over at LGF:


First, a story about the way the reconstruction of the multi-ethnic Afghan army may be one factor in helping Afghanistan as a whole rebuild (and move into the 20th century). Afghan Army gets ahead by getting along


Second, an article about yet another of Saddam's victim peoples - the "Marsh Arabs." THE IRAQI CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE MARSH ARABS: ECOCIDE AS GENOCIDE