jg, i agree it has a lot to do with culture. i could add to that argument. rich arab countries, despite their wealth, have the majority of radical terrorists.
my point was in a different context.
say there was no power or water in san diego for a few weeks and highways were blocked. no cops around. how long do you think this civilized veneer would last before looting and armed vigilantism took over ?
it’s commendable our culture has invested in a social infrastructure, unlike a banana republic. but it doesn’t take very long for any group of people to descend to barbaric behaviour.
mentioning empire as a force for good is like saying the cure for inner city problems is reenslaving blacks.
