Honestly, do you think the middle east will ever improve?

[Tominftl]

Never happen. They have been hating on their neighbors for hundreds of years. Why stop now?

[Pruzhany]

Originally Posted by Kibby

Will they "throw Islam, Mohammed and Allah into the dust bin of history" - of course not, and why should any group of people give up their Religion to satisfy those who don't practice that Religion.

Do I think they will ever progress? - I do think so based on what has happened in the last decade. King Salman of Saudi Arabia will soon make an announcement that Women can choose their Education and employment, and don't need a Male Guardian to "approve". I think within the next decade that women will be allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia - they are already being elected to office, commissions, shura councils (probably still with Male guardian approval) and it does allow them to express their wishes publicly. The population of Saudi Arabia is 70% under the age of 30 - that's a massive amount of young people. Many of them educated outside of Saudi Arabia, that doesn't mean that they wish to give up their Religion, but it does mean they no longer accept the "7th Century" edicts of that Religion.

The new Terrorism Center (to track financing) that was just dedicated in KSA will help flush out Extremists - this is a major step for King Salman because it imposes a severe punishment of those who finance ISIS, al-Qaeda and other Extremist groups around the world. He does this while fully aware that members of the Royal Family (which is estimated to be in the 20,000 range) are involved in that financing.

"Freedom" means different things in different cultures, the USA, Asian Nations, European Nations or anyone else does not have the right to tell other cultures how to live. The best we can hope for is advancing freedom, not by force or even lecturing - but through cooperation.

A key to that is to start at the top and not at the bottom - as The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt (the 2 leading Arab Nations) go ..... so will the others follow. I see some progress, it's incremental but a foundation is being laid.

The new Terrorism Center is smoke and mirrors to placate the US and EU to make them think something positive has changed in relation to SA. The reality is that it will change nothing. Sorry, Nearly all of this post is pure propaganda. Any of us who have worked/traveled is SA can shred this post pretty easily. The British and the French caused these problems in the 1940's and still have their hands in it through the corporations Royal Dutch Shell and Total S.A. who have a majority holdings of the Middle East oil contracts.

[jbgusa]

Originally Posted by Casper in Dallas

Not in the near future and especially if the US and Russia remain players, get out and let them sort it out, maybe that will force them to deal with their own issues.

Does that mean Jewish have to leave the ME?

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by Marleinie

By improve I mean turn into primarily what America and Europe has in terms of secularisation, freedom, women's rights etc.? Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and counties like that. Do you think they'll ever truly progress, throw Islam, Mohammed and Allah in the dustbin of history and evolve past the 7th century?

No, not really. Unless a meteorite hits the region. But then, we would all pay a hefty price for their improvement.

[GregW]

I do not believe the Middle East continuous conflict will ever cease until the underlying problem of having too little food for too many people changes. The continued threat of starvation along with absolutely no social support will always turn neighbor against neighbor and brother against brother. As this has been going on for the last 6,000+ years there is no reason to expect it to change, even with petroleum wealth, anytime soon.