The man is an interesting writer (I really enjoyed his novel, Agents of Innocence and I recommended it because the events described are true) but has such a weakness for Arab royal potentates. Imagine that he finds wisdom in Prince Saud Al-Faysal and even asks him to analyze the "Arab spring." This is like asking Bush about Philosophy or asking Prince Nayif about feminism. How absurd is this? If Saudi Arabia has only dates and not oil, do you think that Ignatius would find wisdom among Saudi princes? And notice that he is impressed that Saud went to Princeton. The Kuwaiti foreign minister has a PhD from Harvard: go listen to him on Youtube and see if he impresses you. Fancy degrees mean nothing. (thanks "Ibn Rushd")