It's the Middle East

I lived in the Middle East for several years during the 70's. This, of course, doesn't make me an expert on anything but it does bring a wry smile to my lips when I read the news. The endemic tribalism of the area contra the "West's" feigned moral posturing in order to protect their oil interests is a sure recipe for yet again lives to be lost as a result of our uncontrollable greed. I love this story:
A fox and a scorpion stood watching a wadi fill with water in a flash flood in the desert. They both wanted to get over to the other side. The scorpion said to the fox, "If I ride on your back, you can swim over with us both ."
The fox replied, "You must be joking. One sting from you and I am dead."
"Why would I do that?" said the scorpion, "Then we both would drown."
The fox thought a while. "OK" And the scorpion hopped on as he began swimming.
Half way across, the scorpion bit the fox. In his dying breath, the fox whispered, "Why did you do that?"
The scorpion shrugged its claws and said, "It's the Middle East."