(click to embiggen)

Mid_East_Ethnic_lg

Errr on second thought, maybe not. Point is, the Middle East like most places is complicated both geographically and ethnically, and therefore understanding the geo-politics can’t be reduced to simple sound-bites and them-vs-us policies.

[map courtesy of the Gulf/2000 project – be warned if you visit that site you might go down the rabbit hole!]