Humans live in tribes. We must be a part of groups. Ethnic, religious, sectarian, or clan-based group identities are frequently the ones that matter the most around the world and for which people will kill and die. We are frequently egregiously unaware of the influence of tribal politics because America has a propensity to view the world in terms of nation-states involved in major ideological conflicts such as capitalism vs. communism, democracy vs. authoritarianism, and the “Free World” vs. the “Axis of Evil.” This ignorance has often damaged American foreign policy.
