Atlantic article: Muslims "What happened to us?"

[Tourbeau]

This is slightly off topic, but it is an interesting article that explains some of the dynamics behind the recent history of the Middle East.

https://www.theatlantic.com/interna...m-world-saudi-iraq-iran-egypt-lebanon/605431/

 

[Zorba]

Very interesting, if true. I've posted this link elsewhere as well.

 

[Tourbeau]

I think the article boils a lot of ideas down to a single, simple cause, when there have to be other factors involved, too. The Muslim Brotherhood has been in Egypt since 1928. Much of the region was destabilized at the end of WWII when political boundary lines were redrawn, and outside forces decided to use the various players as proxies for the Cold War. There's the whole Israel vs. everybody else dynamic. Plenty of turmoil predates 1979.

The article does bring out the frustration many on both sides have with the situation, though. Islamic fundamentalism isn't the cause of all of the problems, but it should take the blame for a lot of the recent ones, not the least of which is the perception that it is neither safe nor sane for non-Muslims to do business in that part of the world beyond rudimentary trade. You have to wonder how the region could have grown if the countries with oil money had invested in economic growth, infrastructure, technology, and literacy instead of the ways they squandered it on fundamentalist hatred and petty power grabbing.

 

[Zorba]

I hear you. I get annoyed with monotheists and fundamentalists of ALL types.