Yes, Charles, it does require critical thinking.  Droughts have always occurred.  Scientifically speaking, it is unlikely that temperatures have risen enough to be the prime cause of any particular Mid-East drought.  It is not possible with current weather/climate models to predict a particular drought.  So the identification of Middle East weather patterns on a few year scale as being attributable to global warming is not scientifically based.  The media and uncritical thinkers simply say it must be because of global warming.  But more importantly and to the point, there is nothing we can do to stop global warming given the massive population which is still growing.  Sorry.  Also, the most of the Arab world has been unsettled in recent years and not all are affected by drought.  There is no question that the guns and other weapons supplied to the killer rebels killed many.  Without support, the uprising would have quickly been over and lives saved.