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Originally Posted by Elphaba
Are there any unaffected towns in Iraq that are now making their own political changes without fear of retribution?
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Good question. An overview of the political makeup of Iraq can be found
HERE, among other places.
1) Northern Iraq, Kurd majority
2) Central Iraq, Sunni Arab majority
3) Southern Iraq, Shia Arab majority
The Kurds to the North are an autonomous ethnic group apart from the Sunnis & Shia. They are quite organized and relatively stable politically. Local governmental structures, based on tribal lines of authority, have been key to stability there.
Throughout the rest of Iraq, a strong centralized government with universal legitimacy is still in its infancy. For example, it is common in the Shia south and even in the poorer districts of Baghdad, to find a cleric at a small, local mosque regarded as a political/moral authority.
A similar role is played in Sunni regions by the heads of large, interconnected tribal groups that run businesses, dispense charity and provide a political lead for the entire community.
Time will reveal just how effective a centralized, democratic leadership (based in Baghdad) functions across this scenario.