[Uncle Miltie]

"Unlike in places where economic achievement is the result of savvy business leaders, a hardworking labor force and a literate public, tribal hierarchies in the Middle East simply metamorphosed into billion-dollar nations by virtue of sitting atop crude oil. One result is a big inferiority complex in the Middle East."

Inferiority is a societal problem, not associated with natural resources. The Middle East was inferior before, during and will be after the discovery and use of its oil.

VDH is brilliant when it comes to international relations, war, society, etc. But he should steer clear of economics, which is not his strong suit.

[Wyatt's Torch]

I think the point he is trying to make is that most countries built their wealth through hard word and development of industry and a working class evolved into a middle class. The Middle Eastern countries got their wealth by nothing more than lucky geography. There is therefore no incentive to build the types of businesses that create the middle class becfause they already have the money.

That’s what I took from it anyway.