Arabia

It was around the 8th century that the middle east was a massive hub of trade and culture, with great cities of enormous wealth and architecture, a developed system of mathematics and astronomy, and military defenses that were formidable to the europeans in the middle ages. 

Why did it all go to shit?  Sure the Crusades kicked their ass, but why has  the region around Iraq and Afhganistan devolved to third world status?  Why can't they regain their advanced culture of trade, education, and science?   What would happen if they were brought back to being a culture of math and astronomy with thriving universities?    

>>9
The islamic world was way behind the Europeans before that... I think it's the fucked up "bureaucracy" in the Osman Empire which kept the whole state feudal, non-industrialized. And since the Osman Empire was the most advanced muslim state for hundreds of years, all the others followed it... there are exceptions like Malakka but hey, they were destroyed pretty easily so who cares