Great developments by nature are not linear. Things just don't always continue as they have been. That's why this idea that the Arab Spring came, it went, it happened, it didn't work, therefore the Middle East will always remain an autocracy - that's linear thinking. Great events are great precisely because they're not linear. Robert Kaplan Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Robert reported on foreign policy for The Atlantic for three decades and is currently the Robert Strausz-Hupé Chair in Geopolitics at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. His most recent book is The Loom of Time: Between Empire and Anarchy, from the Mediterranean to China. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:43What is the Greater Middle East? - 3:13Developing Political Institutions - 14:55Turkey and Iran - 26:40Iraq - 38:15Key Links The Loom of Time: Between Empire and Anarchy, from the Mediterranean to China by Robert Kaplan Foreign Policy Research Institute The Writings of Robert Kaplan at The Atlantic Democracy Paradox Podcast Berk Esen and Sebnem Gumuscu on the Disappointing Elections in Turkey… or How Democratic (or Autocratic) is Turkey Really? Steven Simon on American Foreign Policy in the Middle East including Iran and the Wars in Iraq More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at [email protected] Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show