Factionate

However, the Council immediately began to factionate.

I said I would feel more comfortable with a smaller ICBM on the U.S. side if I could be assured that the Soviet Union would not factionate beyond 10 reentry vehicles.

They create situations that allow, even encourage, invidious social comparison, which tends to factionate people who might otherwise engage in fruitful social relationships.

They have gained this reputation by being intensely rivalrous and obsessively factionate, however, so the impression that the "placing" litany of questions is primarily incorporative in its intent is, I think, largely erroneous.