That's right. If one were to wipe last 30~40 years of current affairs from my memory and ask me which countries in the middle east could be among US's allies,

That's right. If one were to wipe last 30~40 years of current affairs from my memory and ask me which countries in the middle east could be among US's allies, I would have gone with Iran and Israel. Their (I mean Iranian people here, they are among the most friendly, open minded and helpful people I have met) value system seems so much better aligned, compared to say Saudi Arabia. Instead we have US backing Iraq, unprovoked shooting down of civilian jet with no apologies forthcoming, scuttling the future of a democracy. There is quite a bit of gap between the talk (of spreading democracy) and the walk. Jewish people and Persian people have a long and harmonious history in settling in various parts in India. This makes it all the more strange to an Indian.