Aran world has not delivered to itself or the outer world.

Submitted by Christopher Golitsyn (New Zealand), May 1, 2003 at 18:03

There are many issues being discussed here. The basic would possibly be a myopic and paranoid culture that has become pervasive in the Arab world and one being actively encouraged by Saudi Arabia. I have over a year of recent experience working in the Kingdom. From that experience it is very easy to ascertain that the "myopic and paranoid culture" is rooted in the general failure of Arab culture to keep up with the rest of the western, democratic world. Arabs are keenly aware of this failure - and discussion of such issues are in no way allowed in their culture. To quote a highly educated Saudi official from the Riyadh Bank (a personal friend) "Saudis, Arabs in general, will not allow themselves thought or dialogue in a critical view of self. The mosques spread the message that to do so is against Islam. In a country/culture where Islam is 'everything' how can you get around this?".

The Middle East currently swims in an ocean of misused wealth and lost opportunity. When that wealth begins to dwindle with the exhaustion of oil - then the trouble will really begin and anarchy will become the order of the day. The infrastructures that have been created, especially in Saudi Arabia, will crumble as without oil there simply is no financial source to maintain them. A warning of things to come perhaps? I believe so.

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