For those who think Iraq is a mess and hopeless, remember that the Kurdish regions had more than a decade head start on the rest of Iraq in rebuilding because of our no-fly zone over them after the Persian Gulf War:
The contrast between life in the three Kurdish-controlled provinces and the Arab-dominated rest of the country is stark.
In Baghdad, few people venture far from the safety of their houses and neighborhood for fear of bombs, ambushes or death squads of the rival Islamic sect. Even in areas that are less violent, religious zealots enforce a climate of austerity and intolerance that many Iraqis find suffocating.
But in Kurdistan, as the Kurdish region is known, both Iraqi Kurds and Arabs can get their lives back on track, enjoying parties, restaurants and picnics in the safety of Iraq's oasis of peace.
Iraq needs time. Time to beat vicious and well-armed and financed enemies. And time to rebuild.
