Is peace in the Middle East possible? This question weighs heavily on the minds of many individuals and international actors. Turmoil and conflict in the Middle East not only affects the people who inhabit this region, but also has global consequences. To answer this question, it is necessary to analyze the sources of conflict in the Middle East, historically, currently and in the future. The limited amount of natural resources in this region has arguably been the main source of conflict in the Middle East. Other factors that contribute to conflict are the leadership styles of key players in positions of power and religious conflicts. History is often the best indicator for the future. Unfortunately, the Middle East has had a history of much violence and conflict. In the last 50 years alone, it has been involved in numerous serious conflicts such as the Israeli-Palestinian issues, the Iraq-Iran war and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. It may be possible to achieve peace in the Middle East, but given its history and considering the sources behind the conflict, I think the future is bleak regarding peace for this region. The article “Why is there so much conflict in the Middle East?” written by Mirjam E. Sørli et. al corresponds very closely to the text Politics and Change in the Middle East regarding the reasons for the conflict in the Middle East. Sorli et. al challenges the idea of ​​“Middle Eastern exceptionalism,” that there is something different about Middle Easterners that makes them prone to violence and conflict (142) Sorli et. Al says this is not true, but there are reasons very simple why there was a conflict in the Middle East. Stated, the lack of regional natural resources such as water, oil and arable land is... middle of the paper... Of course everything can be discussed and resolved peacefully , but will this be the case? Unless serious changes occur (political, environmental, etc.), conflicts will continue to grow. Works cited1 East: Sources of Conflict and Accommodation. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1982. Print.2. Leenders, Reinoud. “Regional Conflict Formations: Is the Middle East Next?” Third World Quarterly 28.5 (2007): 959-982. JSTOR. Network. 5 June 2011.3. Maynes, Carlo. "The Middle East in the Twenty-First Century". Middle East Journal 52.1 (1998): 9-16. JSTOR. Network. June 6, 2011.4. Sørli, Mirjam, Nils Gleditsch and Håvard Strand. “Why is there so much conflict in the Middle East?” The Journal of Conflict Resolution 49.1 (2005): 141-165. JSTOR. Network. 8 June 2011.