[yankeedame]

Up until only 50 or so years ago the Arab world was refered to as "tribes with flags", not true government, and in many ways it still is. The ways and social organization of countless generations is not swept away by a handful of years.

History (and geography) reveals not only the past of a people, but also their character, and it is here the West errors. Look how long the western influence of France in Algeria, the British in Egypt and "The White" in South Africa lasted once direct pressure/influence was withdrawn. There is no reason to believe the results will be different with the United States vis-a-vis Iraq.

Our hope lay in establishing, and maintaining, sluice gates for the free flow of the 21st century to the restless, and plentiful, youth of those lands. Little more can we do. For change must come from them and from within.

Alas, it will take a very,very long time-- something bore with impatience in the West-- but then as the Arab saying so rightly goes: "All things fear time", and the leaders of those tribes with flags are no exception.

[ijcr]

There is in the Middle East a time frame for redeveopment.
If the technological advances in hydrogen fuel cells starts to pay off,then they will only have about 20 yrs to
maximise the oil dollars.

In the next quarter century the entire region will become irrelevant.