Mullahs, Merchants, and Militants: The Economic Collapse of the Arab World - A Review

In most history of military conquests and reigns of despots and corrupt government, the underlying reasons has always included economics. The kind where the country's riches are controlled by the very few and the many suffer.

Such as typified by the many Middle Eastern countries.

It's really not a huge surprise to see many turn to the likes of Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood and for those with more extreme tastes, Al-Qaeda as they seem to be the ones bearing beacons of hope.

If one is hungry, one will become very desperate.

What is really sad is that these people are so very proud of their illustrious past without any desire to emulate it, particularly the ruling elite.

In the words of Plutarch, "It is a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors."

In a scathing closing chapter to the book, the writer correctly points to the powers that be, to not help these countries so much. At least, not in the current way they are helping them, i.e. providing financial aid that seems to go into someone's deep pockets instead of the people.

But for as long as the powers that be continue to covet the wealth of others and as long as the down-trodden do not find the strength to rise on their own, the volatile and violent puppet show that is the Middle East will play on for many seasons to come.