What if Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and then Iran, Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia become free, tolerant, pluralistic democracies? What if they become market-driven open economies? Is there any reason why and Iranian or an Iraqi or an Egyptian cannot be as productive as a Frenchmen or a German or a Russian? No, not really at all.

Once Chosen (Korea) and Formosa (Taiwan) were considered economic and colonial backwaters of a Japanese empire, snatched from a decaying Chinese empire. Now, the southern half of Korea and the island state of Taiwan are economic powerhouses. Is there any reason why the Iraqi or Afghan people cannot be as productive as the Taiwanese or Korean?

Is there any reason to doubt that a liberated Persian culture might not produce an explosion of wealth, as well as art and ideas, would make Iran as productive per capita as Italy? European chauvinism says “Never!” but this betrays the practical enslavement of these people under the rule of Russian and British (in Iran) and under non-Arabic Turks, under indifferent colonial rulers, and under a series of despots after “liberation” from the Turks.

In fact, there is every reason to believe that Egyptians, Iranians, Iraqi, Afghans and other peoples who have lived for generations in quiet slavery might find true liberation liberating. If they did, then what happened in 20 years in Japan, Korea and Taiwan might happen in only 10 years in North Africa and West Asia.

Why? Several reasons. First, the information explosion means that people can catch up much more quickly than in the days of vacuum tubes - satellites and the internet make rapid change not only in knowledge but in outlook and philosophy easy. Second, we - who would facilitate this revolution - have learned lessons in Korea and Taiwan. A strong investment of political capital now pays off dividends at a rapidly compounding rate. Third, these serfs have much to prove.

What will bring real peace to the Middle East? How about an Egypt which has an economy stronger than that of France and a standard of living at least equal to that of Israel? How about an Iran whose affluence and grace pulls the former soviet socialist republics of Central Asia into an orbit of peace? How about an Iraq which people seek to live in because of its vitality and energy?

Once the misdirected envy which Arabs and Moslems feel toward the post-Holocaust enclave of Israel is forgotten in happy lands of hope and of accomplishment, then there will be no real reason for Moslem to hate Jew or Christian to fear Moslem. All true and pious Moslems, Jews and Christians are united, as President Bush reminds us, by much more than divides us.

There is as much to fear from Pagan Europe, which produced a Pagan Nazi Germany and a militantly atheist Soviet Union, as from a religiously serious Middle East which is free and which is trying to persuade the rest of the world, as America does, by positive example.

So do not be too surprised to find ten years from now that the economic and intellectual vitality of the planet is in not in Berlin, but in Bagdad, not in Sweden, but in Syria, not in Amsterdam, but in Amman. This will work, of course, only if Christians and Jews are full, welcome and safe citizens of former secular tyrannies and pseudo-Islamic theocracies, like the Council of Guardians in Iran.

We in the West easily and properly recognize those portions of Levantine brilliance to which we can trace our beliefs - Israel, Lebanon, Greece - but those lands which once produced the wonders of the world may produce them again, in unexpected places and from peoples who may well be our dearest and truest allies.

How about the hispanic population in the US?

they have a huge growth rate compared to the rest of the US population.... If what you say about muslims in Europe is right, will California and Florida be taken over by them in a few decades??

Will they became independent countries controlled by hispanics???? I myself don't think so.