[Zagadka]

I was reading up on some old articles about the Iranian Shah-dom and its US base, when I suddenly realized that we're in an infinite time loop where we try lamely to install pro-West governments, even at the cost of that whole democracy thing, in ME oil-rich states... and having the whole thing go nuts-up on us. In fact, I realized/remembered, it seems the more we try, the more we utterly fail. Epically fail.

Does anyone seriously think that, in 20 years, Iraq will be a happy pro-West country ruled by someone sane?

[Siberian Fox]

That depends on too many factors. The bi-polar world of the cold war that led to much of what you describe no longer exists.

[Nets]

The Gulf States are all Anglo-American constructs and have been stable for decades.

...save for the few random bad apples that fly planes into our buildings.