Iraq was "carved out" of the Ottoman Empire by the British. Iraqi wasn't a nationality before. Iraqi isn't an ethnicity. It is a mixed bag of Kurds and Shia and Sunni Arabs. If Iraq is to be governed peacefully, then democracy is not the solution. The late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia once said that since Saudi Arab was a constellation of different tribes, monarchy is necessary for successful government.

Saddam was a tyrant, biased and self-centered dictator. Whatever he was, he was ONE person running the country. In the countries with hetrogenious ethnicities, groups and loyalities, the only possible way to successful governance is monarch or dictator etc but never democracy. Matternich, the famous Austrian aristocrat of early 19th century said that democracy can "turn bright daylight into midnight". At that time Austria-Hungary was also a such a hetrogenious mixture of various groups of people.

For democracy to succeed, in principle, Iraq will have to be dismembered.