Will there ever be 'peace in the middle east? '?
It seems like some of those countries do ‘better’ when they have a tyrannical dictator. From what I have read about Iraq during Sadam Hussein’s rule, it sucked. But at least there wasn’t all out war , all the time….
Did America yank the thread that is unraveling the sweater , or would they have always had wars going on with different groups/ factions? Was ISIS an inevitability? Did America make a mistake by trying to develop a diplomatic relationship with iran? Now Saudi Arabia is mad at the US. They used to be a close ally.
It seems to me that the region is full of people who hate each other, and have for centuries, or more. From what I’ve read, the people aren’t even really that different. Small differences in their religious beliefs have been plenty reason to kill each other, and they have like, Sunni and Shiite problems that are spread across the region. Those two groups alone, seem to not count each other as equals. How can a democracy, forced though it was, work if people don’t think other people have the same rights as them?
What a mess. Any end in sight?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
14 Answers
It’s hard enough for people to find peace in their own heart. Get everyone to do that, and there will be peace in the middle east.
I believe the problems are endemic and intractable, and at the heart of all of them is a religious system totally incompatible with modernity. It is the conflict between religious requirements and the norms of modern existence which renders representative government problematic at best. It’s a problem recognized by Ataturk with his establishment of modern Turkey following the collapse of the Ottoman empire. What’s the hope for stability in this day and age when separation of mosque and state amounts to apostasy, the marginalization of women is a cornerstone of the faith and financing through debt is anathema? The resulting hypocricies in the tug between mosque and state result in the characteristics common to every stable government in the region at even the best and most peaceful of times. What is it they all share in common? Each and every stable government in the region has been without exception highly authoritarian, brutally repressive and thoroughly corrupt. Saddam and Gadaffi were not aberrations, they were required. Once again, the problem isn’t that evil men are running amuck in the region. The problem is that a heavy hand is required to keep the lid on a boiling pot.
There have been tribal wars and fighting for the last 5000 years or more. I don’t think it will stop, which is a sorry state of affairs.
No chance! They have been at it for 1300 years.
I mostly agree with @stanleybmanly – with the addition not only do the arabs (and muslims) have their own internecine problems, but so too do the jews and the israelis (who are not always the same).
If the various tribes in the middle east – and frankly that’s what they are – remain unchanged, then the middle east problems will never be solved.
if they every can stop thinking small and tribally, anything can happen.
My lifetime? Not a chance.
Why not not eat pigs together?
If we are no longer dependent on their oil and the middle east no longer gets the attention that it does, maybe people will finally come to their senses.
Not until some nutjob extremist detonates a nuke and turns it into glass.
Everyone should visit the Holy City of Jerusalem to get a hint of an understanding of the impossibility of it all.
Sorry. This rant is going to anger a few folks but this was just my honest, personal, observation after spending some time there.
The Old City is about 1 km x 1 km and ancient. The place is laid out as if a higher power was running a cruel experiment.
“Hey Devil/Angel/(insert your deity here) Let’s see if we can make a time delay fuse for this planet” “Toss out ideas.”
“Let’s divide this city into 4 quarters with 4 different religions and tell each one that theirs is the right one. Whisper to each that they are really your favorite.”
“Let’s put a wall around them and put 4 entrances in the middle of each wall so residents must pass across each other every single time they want to enter or exit. Think matches and flint rubbing against each other.”
“Hey! Let’s make it a hot place so people are naturally miserable and tempers flare.”
“Tell each group to never forget the insults they received at the hands of the others.”
“Let’s make it a dry place so everyone must fight over water and crops.”
“Let’s make all the males battle trained and give them the latest and greatest weaponry so they are always ready for action.”
“Let’s make meth and crack cocaine plentiful so fights are spectacular.”
(Ok. I made up the last one. The engineer in me can’t help think of an improvement.)
Such a sad situation.
“Ever” is a long time. Yes, someday humans will evolve to the point that armed conflict will no longer be allowed.
@YARNLADY – not for ten thousand years. You and I will both be long gone.
Indeed. There seems to be a consensus that it is improbable that there is even a chance for peace in this storied, war torn region….Shame.
No.
Hey Muhammad, looks like your peaceful religion isn’t working out.
Send me a autographed headshot anyway?
This is a region that has been warring since Sumerian times. Yawn… what else is new? Don’t hold your breath.
Answer this question 
Composing members:
0
