this is a kind of clever piece by david brooks; i like the "future history" form. but it is also a bizarre tribute to the glory of the nation-state as the hope of peace and stability, presenting the problem as "non-state actors." well, lord knows there are some pretty nasty little non-state actors out there. but without trying to elucidate once again the peaceful, stable history of the nation state, let me point out with regard to this particular situation that israel is a nation-state. iran is a nation-state. syria is a nation state. saudi arabia is a nation state. and the middle east was invaded and ripped apart by a nation state: us. the colonial powers that carved up the region were nation states. etc