What causes most conflicts in the middle east even today?
Tensions between different factions be they political, social, or religious cause most conflicts in the middle east. This is also universally true for most areas as well, the difference being that in the middle east, there is large spread turmoil caused by the arrival of Western technologies in a society with pre-industrial institutions. Such social turmoil leads to much progress, but much suffering and conflict as well. The Taliban, for example, obey age old traditions while using much more modern weapons. Perhaps, once the social and political institutions within the middle east catch up with the leap in technology, there will be widespread peace.
