Having traveled all over, and working as an expat now for many years, it became clear early on there is a whole very naive narritive justifying US foreign policy in that part of the world. The moment you go to live there, it stares in the face. I quickly gave up my hopes of serving in the US armed forces or intelligence community after one year of study in Egypt. It only took a few weeks really to do the damage. I can show you consistent examples for almost all American students, many who wanted government work on USG language scholarships, after such a short amount of time.
I still knew countless others, however, who continued in the line of duty, and their racist and moronic comments about the Arab world, before, after, and during service, despite expesnive US top-20 univerisity coursework in Arabic and Arab history and culture flabbergasts me, every time. These people rose through the ranks, and balked at the education they used to get there. Notice Laux did not have that kind of education prior. I suspect that is why he burnt out and knew to withdrawal from that life quickly. If he spoke Dari or Pashto, and God forbid, read the local media, he would have burnt out even faster as the stupidity would glare even brighter.
The one year ten times in a row comment gets me. As just-outside-the-inside perimeter guy, living in one Arab capital 5+ years, it never ceases to amaze me the greater political project of "taming the Arab world" goes at the civil, political, and military level, soft and hard power alike at the hands of outside nations. I assume it might be this way everywhere, but my interest in professionally engaging in even non-government East-West cultural projects ended quickly as I became jaded. I routinely think my interest in computing and open source originates from my frustration with this problem, and our hubris to not simply record things and focus on problems. We keep reinventing based on impression, not on result, with new people and a rapid turnover rate. No industry except global political terraforming would find that a useful strategy.
As for the kicking the addiction and self-help jokes: wanna know where you need to help yourself? Pick any Arab country. Great read, thanks for posting.