These tribes have no cultural tie to tolerance and discourse. They are inflamed, humiliated after years of repression, and have scores to settle with each other. So democracy is doomed, at least under the present 'national' structure.

Oh, I agree.   Read this article, which discusses their anger:

While the US authorities maintain that resistance attacks are carried out by former Baathists and supporters of Saddam, they continue to ignore the tribal nature of the insurgency which has grown steadily over recent months. Deeply conservative clans like the 50,000-strong Albueisi have codes of honour which they complain the American army ignores at checkpoints and during raids on houses.

They also believe that the Koran demands jihad against foreign invaders. Asked how many American lives should be taken if one of their own is killed, the answer is: 'As many as possible.'

Sadly, the article is titled "Americans Sow Seeds of Hatred."

Lovely.  Makes me feel so proud of the country ruled by Bush.

Precisely.  Stanley Hoffman, among others, made this argument, and made it clearly, months before the invasion.
Too much of America -including many who should have known better- trilled to empire.  Followed a fool to folly.