And here's the Washington Post's David Ignatius confirming our worst fears, and echoing Makiya's depiction of a country ruled by fear and sheer terror.

Ignatius knows of what he speaks. As a former middle east correspondent he has seen his fair share of action in Iraq and Lebanon in the 1980's. I've always wondered why his book The Bank of Fear was never made into a film; it's a great read (I finished it in 2 days!) and has all the makings of a modern spy thriller. Who knows how Hollywood types think anyway?