Why haven't things changed fundamentally in the 60 years since the creation of Israel? Is it because the oil is still flowing and supporting the oligarchs?

Even if the oil stopped flowing, it's likely that the Arabian peninsula and Eastern North Africa would be victims of massive hostile meddling from the major powers, because of their proximity to the Suez Canal. At least three different powers have direct strategic interests in the area: India, Russia and the EU - and the US, Iran and China have interests that are only marginally farther removed.

Everybody wants to control Suez - or at least make sure that nobody else controls it. And that's unlikely to change for the foreseeable future, because by geographic accident, it's a linchpin of global seaborne trade.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.