Perhaps the oldest strategy of war is: “Divide and conquer”— which can take many
forms. Physically divide a land mass into north and south. Encourage a portion
of a country to secede. Partition. Physical divisions create smaller spaces and
populations to overtake, can leave families separated and citizens stranded. But
the most insidious division is spiritual, psychological, social. If planned from
without and then wormed into a once-harmonious (even if not homogenous) group,
division can be made to feel organic and even righteous through… you guessed it:
fear-mongering.