Western attempts to transform the Middle East (and other countries around the world) always fail. If we look back to the First World War, we see the efforts of the British and French as they drew map lines on a piece of paper and constructed private treaties like the Sykes-Picot agreement. Their exploits went for naught. The US has subsequently failed in Iraq and Afghanistan (not to mention Vietnam).

What have we forgotten or failed to grasp? The British had an opportunity to get it right. In 1917, the British government asked T.E. Lawrence to write recommendations based on his success in the Arab portion of the war during World War One. Lawrence, in conjunction with Faisal and his Bedouins miraculously crossed the desert, surprised the Ottomans, and captured Aqaba. He documented his exploits in the The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Lawrence response to the British request was to write 27 Articles. He explained in simple and elegant detail how to operate and succeed in a foreign culture. He intended his remarks to be specific to the Bedouin lifestyle of the Hejaz. But most of his directions have universal applicability.

The understanding of local knowledge and culture are keys to his principles. His instruction was to learn everything possible about the people before acting. Get to know their families. One cannot transform a society about which one knows little or nothing. One must work with existing political structures. Always give credit to the culture’s political leaders. Adopt the ways of the culture, even to the extent of their dress.

Of course, we don’t have time for such stuff. We’ll do it our way and get on with it. History tells of the West’s results.