The Middle East goes through a seemingly endless cycle of conflict and violence as it falls behind the rest of the world in democratic and economic development. Dictatorship remains the main form of government; demagoguery often dominates intellectual and civic life. A serious reevaluation of whether to change these structures ended with the defeat of the moderate forces favoring reform. The Tragedy of the Middle East tries to explain why and how this region is different from other parts of the world. A key factor is the strength of regimes that have learned how to stay in power by using "trump issues," including antagonism toward the West, to defeat criticism. Even the radical Islamist opposition is integrated into the system, since many of its ideas reinforce the status quo, while its threat makes many citizens look to their rulers to protect them from revolutionary change. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the region's issues and why they remain unresolved.