Winston Churchill had the Middle East figured out long ago, and we would be best advised to listen to his insight.

  " The Middle East is one of the hardest hearted areas in the world. It has always been fought over, and peace has only reigned when a major power has established firm influence and shown that it will maintain it's will.  Your friends must be supported with every vigor, and if necessary they must be avenged.  Force, or perhaps force and bribery, are the only things that will be respected. It is very sad, but we had all better recognize it.  At present our friendship is not valued,  and our enmity is not feared."

Notice how everything that the Obama administration is doing is contrary to this wisdom, with the inevitable result. Hopefully the next administration will return our policy on this part of the world to a practical logic such as that espoused by Mr. Churchill.