Dad lets daughter drown in Dubai so she's not 'dishonored' by male lifeguards' touch

[JCMach1]

211. Even the Ottomans were essentially a tribal state, so really you can't visualize

the ME through the lens of Nationalism. The one major attempt at Nationalism under Nasser failed as surely as it succeeded in freeing Egypt from colonialism.

Attaturk essentially had it right. The only way, given the beliefs and tenets of Islam, is to have a 'State' that is legally separate from the religion.

As for stability, I am very much a pessimist concerning the MENA region. There are HUGE resource challenges (water, food, and yes even energy). Yemen is the best example of where the region may end up... tribal fracturing, moving from one resource crisis to the next, and the dissolution of centralized states. Alternative energy within 30 years will almost completely crash oil prices. If you know Saudi Arabia, you know that they are held together by string, money and the House of Saud. That all goes South if the money goes.

As far as untangling the Palestinian situation... it will never be solved by any party pointing fingers as to who started it. Actually the British Colonial overlords had as much responsibility as anyone else at least at the beginning of the conflict.

So no, I am not hopeful. This is the biggest reason I fully believe the US needs to back away from military engagement in the region.

But hey, who am I to say... spice must flow, right?