Antoun,

You do certainly walk the edge of that volcano.

Though I am reminded of Mark Twain's comment; "Don't argue with idiots. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience."

What motivates this current miasma isn't really internal logic, but simply that it provides a cumulative focus for basic mob behavior.

If there was an actual grand strategy, they would not presume to try turning the clock back 2000 years in the geographic center point of the world culture. Playing with matches, while sitting in a pool of gasoline.

Trying to reason with the adherents will only elicit the various stock responses, or just personal attacks.

The country was rearing itself apart, between the centripetal and centrifugal forces of society and only coalesced over murdering as many of the displaced inhabitants as possible.

It is a combination of Bronze Age tribalism and modern corruption. Its only cure will be time.

Hopefully not as one of various radioactive craters scattered around the globe for the next century or so. Though it seems heading in that direction.

Much good luck getting out.