Walk like an Egyptian...

You are thinking like a Westerner. This has been our problem - in my estimation - time and time again.

Look, I do not disagree that plentiful food supplies are a major factor in preventing Western nations from descending into violence. But think about what you used as your example of a Mid East region (because it's not a state) that has successfully adopted self sufficient farming/water - Palestine. Yet they elected HAMAS. These same individuals danced in the streets on 9/11 (literally, if you remember the broadcasted images). Plentiful food supplies will not stop religious zealotry. Palestinians have been offered that and more, up 90% of their demands put into writing and ready to sign, yet they walked away from the agreement. We're over here thinking that if they just had plentiful jobs and food the violence would end, meanwhile they're there thinking (at least as is represented in their chosen leadership), "How can I push all the Jews into the Red Sea?" The mindset of Western "fixes" for the region is flawed on a very fundamental level.

The bottom line is there is a 7th century strain of Islam running through the Muslim world. It is organized, committed, and worst of all enjoys far too much passive support from non combatant Muslims. There is no strawberry patch or Twinkies supply that will quell this desire for a caliphate. Now I will agree, plentiful food and gainful employment can help to prevent - or at least shore up resistance - against this caliphate from spreading a literal, hot war across ever more boarders in the region, but as long as Sharia law is propped up and promulgated by "peaceful" nations like Saudi Arabia then the region will continue to turn out violent,committed jihadists, as we saw on 9./11.

To put it simply, as of 2014 I do not see evidence that when given the opportunity the Arab world would embrace a democratic form of government over a fascistic theocratic regime. And so long as that's true no amount of food supply will produce a peaceful society. Westerners are happy and peaceful when there is a chicken in every pot and a pay check in every home, very true... but I think it a grave mistake to believe the same can be said of men living by a 7th Century set of rules whom find passive supporters by the millions among their brethren. From the mounds of evidence I have witnessed the majority mindset of the region simply has not evolved to the point that a full belly can breed a peaceful man. It's just not that simple. The commitment to hate is far too deep to be dislodged by home canned tomatoes.