Iraq, dreamtime, would this work?

H.G. Wells always attributed a great deal of the 19th century violence in Europe to stupid and obstinate map-making by diplomats. He claimed that there was a "natural map" of the world based on linguist, religious, and cultural lines, and that wars that fought this map were always temporary gains at best, dotted by revolts (Ireland anyone?). Whereas actions that restored the political map, that didn't try to force disparate peoples together usually stuck.


...side note: wasn't the reason we didn't split the country because only one or two parts had the oil wealth? So you'd have rich frontiers and a poor center, but the center has the most cities, political and military power? (Memory's a bit fuzzy, unfortunately).

Jam it back in, in the dark.