[Allegra]

They're in the Near East.

Exactly. The Brits and Americans have always had divergent geographical terms, likely due to our respective proximities to these regions.

[ArrogantBustard]

I believe that the misuse of “Middle East” in reference to Israel etc. derives from the stupidity and ignorance infesting most news-rooms. Some of these bozos even consider Egypt to be in the “Middle East”.

[thackney]

Two countries separated by a common language.