When asked what would be a sign of the end of the age Christ gave as one that "nation shall rise against nation". He was talking about the small "nations" built around family loyalties and descent, more on the biblical model, rather than the large nation-states we see today. The ethnic based tribalism of the Middle East fits more what Christ spoke about.

The recent success in Iraq is largely build on a political approach with tribal leaders in the various regions of the country. Careful analysis of the reports bear this out. On this point the American military has learned a vital truth about the region. It has brought success for the moment and barring any seismic change should lead to more good news.

But other troubles on are on the horizon in Pakistan where the thin societal fabric is being rent by tribal problems. In Pakistan it is the military that has been the glue holding everything together for decades. That is why Mushariff has been reluctant to shed his soldiers tunic. Take away the military and you have a recipe for chaos in a Muslim country with nuclear weapons.

Robert Kaplan has a good article in The Atlantic that mentions the tribal nature of the Middle East. It's a good read, and a short one, to help you understand why Christ said what He did.