Facts About Arab Civilization.

History of MidEast.

The Arab World's Travails: History's Burden
by Hilal Khashan

Hilal Khashan teaches political science at the American University of Beirut.

For two centuries, Arabs have attempted to stem their retreat vis-à-vis the West and create the conditions for their renaissance (nahda). Coming into direct and sustained contact with the vastly superior power of Western Europe, their societies underwent significant changes during this period in the hope of catching up without losing their cultural identity or religious beliefs. An atmosphere of intense intellectual debate developed. Religious reformers sought to make Islam compatible with the requirements of modernity, and so to revitalize it. Pan-Arabists aimed at introducing elements of Western secularism in their political discourse and enfranchising Arab Christians. Others had alternate schemes.

These many efforts did not succeed, however; Arabs not only failed to catch up with the West but they did not even modernize. A survey of the Arab countries during the past decade finds that politically the regimes are significantly more repressive than in the past, with an increase in nepotism, corruption, human rights abuse, and general unaccountability. Economically, standards of living are on a steep decline in most Arab countries, including even the oil-producing states.1

What caused this failure? What are its symptoms?
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What are your views about Arab civilization? Feel free to share your opinion--but back it up with proof if asked.

My opinion is that somehow Wahhabism got a strangle hold on most of Arabia.

That horrible religion held a Renaissance at bay.

The science, exploration, mingling with other cultures and repressive rules stunted their growth.

Because they were illiterate and backward, they were unable to extract and refine the oil that could keep them from starving. Against the Wahhabis, the Sauds invited the US into SA, and we have been on a collision course with them ever since.

Because American culture came with American workers, these medieval people were thrust into a world they were unprepared to see. They crave what we have at the same time, they hate that they want it. They are incredibly frustrated, but impotent to do anything about it---except terrorism.

Many of these statements sound like nothing more than intentionally negative characterizations--but they have been said by the most learned students of the Middle East.

If you don't believe this o be true, share your philosophy of the ME, with links.