The problem with the ME is oil (resource curse) and Dutch disease creating the conditions for kleptocratic authoritarian states. I don't think a different slici

The problem with the ME is oil (resource curse) and Dutch disease creating the conditions for kleptocratic authoritarian states. I don't think a different slicing would have avoided the dysfunction much. Hopefully a post-hydrocarbon economy will rebalance things; meanwhile, Trump literally thinks that the US is involved in the ME to take oil. The biggest problem of late was the US neocons thinking that overthrowing the previous set of kleptocrats would have a positive outcome. I think it's clear now that wasn't correct.