[Eleutheria5]

Not likely. They’d probably have become another military dictatorship, then get Arab spring sprunged, and then become another Islamic dictatorship. The only Arab country that might remain a democracy for long is Iraq, and that (Iraq) is all Bush’s fault./sarc on last sentence only.

[virgil]

You might be right there. I don't think Islam is compatible with democracy, really. Iraq and Turkey were somewhat secularized; they did a little better. Think though, besides the conflict with terrorists, the Israelis, to their credit, have done very well. They say that mimicry is the greatest form of complement. The "Palestinians" sure don't want to complement Israel even to their peril.

I work in the scientific field, and know many muslim scientists; smart people all of them, with much to offer to improving the human condition. Most of them quite Americanized, but mostly from India. They're not from Saudi,Syria,Jordan,Iraq,Egypt. There are a few from Iran; very nice people. But in the middle east, it's a shame, that all of that lost potential is down the pooper because they can't think about something besides hating Israel. What a waste. Sheesh! I pray for those people that they stop hating Jews and start thinking about their own future and that their land become just as beautiful as Israel.