It sucks when Lou Dobbs is right - Update

Disclaimer: this diary has absolutely nothing to do with immigration.

Lou just published an editorial commentary on CNN's website about the Middle East. For some unaccountable reason, the generally obnoxious SOB had the balls to say the hitherto unspeakable truth: Americans are not smart enough to understand the Middle East.

Yay. Huzzah. Hooray. Hot Damn. Right On. Damn Straight. Duh! - follow past the fold.

Regardless of your 'side', how many dogmatic, silly, superficial, ill-informed diaries and comments about the Middle East or its inhabitants have you seen here on dKos? Here, in the heartland of the congenitally well-informed? The home of Googlers par excellance? The crossroads of the global cognoscenti?

The dictionary definitions for 'complexity' and 'ambiguity' should have one-phrase entries: "Middle East"

This is the cradle of history and civilization. Recent history goes back a millenium. Ancient history goes back to the transition from hunter-gatherers to agriculture. This is the cross-roads of the ancient world. The world's gene pool in microcosm. Every racial and ethnic group has a place here. Every major religion has an outpost (Mormonism may be a bit fringe, but other than that ...). Heaven knows how many linguistic flavors are represented.

If that isn't enough, toss in life-defining, blood-ties to families, clans and tribes. Blood feuds. Populations scattered around austere deserts, or in remote mountain valleys, or in crowded refugee camps, or in palaces and rich suburbs, or ...

While we are at it, let's not forget urban/rural, rich/poor clustered in random borders drawn by 19th century Europeans on crack. Oh, and then there are the occasional minor dustups over those simultaneously bountiful and scarce resources: oil and water.

Understand it? Piece of cake. Us Amerikuns are so smart, we can figger out pretty much anytin. We can pick winnurs from loosers. We can tell the good guys from the bandidos. We'll just kick ass and take names. If that don't work, we'll drop a JDAM or two on em. We'll show em who's boss.

Give it up. It's beyond us. Beat's me. It's above my pay grade. We all need to follow a 12-step program to break our addiction to our own self-importance.

I'll start: I admit it. I am not smart enough to understand the Middle East. Ahhhhh. I feel better already.

George - it's your turn!

Update: Several people pointed out that I shouldn't have been so snarky. If Lou is right on this point, I shouldn't have been so backhanded in my props. On reflection, I agree. Lou said the truth and I really do applaud it.