Richard N. Haass
writes for
Project Syndicate that events in the Middle East resemble the opening stages of the Thirty Years' War.
There are obvious differences between the events of 1618-1648 in Europe and those of 2011-2014 in the Middle East. But the similarities are many – and sobering. Three and a half years after the dawn of the “Arab Spring,” there is a real possibility that we are witnessing the early phase of a prolonged, costly, and deadly struggle; as bad as things are, they could well become worse.
Spengler drew
similar parallels with the 30 Years' War.