Nickname: Irfan

Review: I personally saw that the above article shows a positive side of the Persian Gulf states. Although parts of the Middle East are marred by war, the oil rich states are doing the right thing by working on developing the financial sectors of thier countries. Good luck to them.

Date reviewed: Aug 14, 2006 5:51 PM

Nickname: Essayyad

Review: Although there is a lot of tension and war in the Middle East, investors are euphoric about stock markets because they are happy that Hizbollah is winning a war that many Arab countries collectively failed to do.

Date reviewed: Aug 9, 2006 10:33 AM

Nickname: Mac

Review: Dear Mr. Reed: The article is certainly insightful. This is a story I think many bankers would like follow up on.

Date reviewed: Aug 9, 2006 7:28 AM

Nickname: clockword

Review: The Arabian Gulf may indeed see a flourishing of banking and general economic activity, and indeed maturity. But the stark corruption, poverty, and downright meanness of the majority of Arab leaders in countries (or rather, personal estates) of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, etc. (not to mention their leaders' supineness) will hamper "meaningful" growth. This is a region that will not work in any Western sense because its governments and rapacious cronies steal everything in sight. Fundamentally, the Arabs of today are unrivalled masters of tearing things down, not building things up. Until there is meaningful change in these bunkrupt societies, that lamentable fact will, alas, persist.

Date reviewed: Aug 9, 2006 2:49 AM