The Arab World is in ferment.  Wide swaths given over to war and slaughter.  Terror and bloodshed not only spilling over to other Muslim lands, but to the world at large.  People gunned down in Paris.  What caused these horrors?  When asked about this by Jon Stewart on the “Daily Show”, former President Jimmy Carter came forward with a cause:

“Well, one of the origins for it is the Palestinian problem,” Carter replied. “And this aggravates people who are affiliated in any way with the Arab people who live in the West Bank and Gaza, what they are doing now — what’s being done to them. So I think that’s part of it.”

So the first  reason for the Arab World’s troubles Pres. Carter can think 0f is Israel.  He is joined in blaming  Israel by groups on University Campuses clamoring for those schools endowment funds to divest any Israeli Companies.  Online petitions demand that Bed, Bath & Beyond stop selling Israeli made Soda Stream.  Across Europe, demands that Israel be brought before the World Court.  All these courageous people agree Israel’s power must be diminished and if necessary destroyed or the area’s woes will continue to grow.   This bullying Colossus of 7,896,000 people, covering 8,019 sq. miles, oppresses the Arab People, measured by the Arab League at only 365,674,964, shoe horned into 5,148,048 sq.miles.

This disparity is hard for many to visualize as the the Arab League is spread over two continents.  For Americans it might be better to find a more local comparison.  Maricopa County has population of 3,817,117 and covers 9,224 sq. miles.  Less people but more area than Israel.  The county is, of course, part of the U.S.’s 318,881,992 pop. and 3,806,000 sq.miles.  These are less than the Arab League’s numbers but it might be close enough for people to compare.  On the map below Maricopa County is bordered in blue:

Just as President Carter and his like minded friends on the campuses and in Europe see Israel dominating and oppressing the Arab World, one could easily see Maricopa County declare it’s independence and then defeat and lord it over the rest of the United States.  If it did, it would say a lot about the Maricopians,  but wouldn’t it tell us even more about the rest of the America?   Doesn’t this give us a little insight to who is really to blame for the Arab’s woes?