This was a good summary of the subject, and many of the comments were helpful, especially Nick's. I would add one difference between Sunni and Shia: the latter have a streak of messianism, awaiting the reappearance of the Mahdi, a revered past figure who disappeared centuries ago. Shiaism also has more hierarchy and is confined to Southwest Asia, mostly Arabs and Persians (but not most Arabs), giving the lie to the ridiculous term "Islamofascism" as applied to Sunnis. Fascism is nothing if not devoted to strong central authority in a monoethnic culture. The only "fascism" at work among insurgents in Iraq, among them battle-hardened Chechens, resembles the "leaderless resistance" of US white supremcists and gun nuts.
As for the comments about the nature of imperialism: WTF? Since when is annexation a requirement? The Romans used puppets, like our good friend Herod the Great, to put a local face on their administration. If the system did not keep the populace in line, direct occupation would follow. The Romans win either way. Either the puppet is successful, or, in an attempt to be sucessful, he is overly brutal and the Romans were "liberators". (The system failed with Cleopatra and Herod Agrippa, who led revolts against the Romans). Hitler placed puppets in Slovakia and part of France, and even countries occupied, like the Netherlands and my beloved Norway, local constables collaborated in arrests and deportation. The SS and Gestapo were not always needed.
As for the comments about the nature of imperialism: WTF? Since when is annexation a requirement? The Romans used puppets, like our good friend Herod the Great, to put a local face on their administration. If the system did not keep the populace in line, direct occupation would follow. The Romans win either way. Either the puppet is successful, or, in an attempt to be sucessful, he is overly brutal and the Romans were "liberators". (The system failed with Cleopatra and Herod Agrippa, who led revolts against the Romans). Hitler placed puppets in Slovakia and part of France, and even countries occupied, like the Netherlands and my beloved Norway, local constables collaborated in arrests and deportation. The SS and Gestapo were not always needed.