Now think about Iraq.  They have been under a ruthless dictator for 30 some years.  Rather than have a majority rule - they're used to have a single person rule.  Any minority trying to express an opinion was dealt with harshly.   Suddenly these people are given voting rights.  When the votes are counted, their candidate may not have won.  But they can see from the results that there are millions of others who voted the same way they did (and lost).  So you have a population who is not used to being asked what they want - finally being able to express their desires by voting - and for many, not getting what they wanted.  Got to be frustrating.  Especially, when the people haven't grown up under a climate of Robert's Rules.  I think in many cases, the increased violence may be linked to their free elctions where the people weren't adequately prepared for their candidates to lose.   Now, by the vote tallies, they can only see the large numbers of others that thought the same way they did.