Are terrorists insane, and what role - if any - does religion play in terrorism? Why did fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 terrorists come from Saudi Arabia? Why does the Shia Iranian government have such hostility towards America, and how did that contribute to the radicalization of some Sunni Muslims citizens? How did the Taliban come to power in Afghanistan and what role did that play in 9/11? What role did Egypt play in terrorism? Why did the United States invade Iraq and what might the fallout of that invasion be with respect to terrorism? Is this a problem without a cause or what role did the United States play in fomenting anger and resentment in the Middle East towards America? "The Aftermath of Intention: The American Legacy in the Middle East" explores the US involvement in the Middle East from the end of WWI until the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It reviews US foreign policy in the Middle East in five key countries: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Egypt. The premise is that US intervention and involvement may have had good intentions, but it had unintended consequences. These unintended consequences created a collective resentment in the Middle East. However, this resentment was not enough to cause terrorism in a few; US policy may have been necessary to create resentment, but not sufficient to cause terrorism. Something else was needed.Part one describes the aftermath of fall of the Ottoman Empire and the interwar years between WWI and WWII. Part Two describes how in five specific countries (Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Egypt) the US became an influential actor after WWII. As an influential actor, US policies and actions had an impact on the people in the Middle East. Part Three talks about the aftermath of the US involvement in these five countries and how this involvement created a collective resentment towards the United States. Using concepts from psychology, criminology and sociology, as well as reviewing the statements and writings from terrorists themselves, an explanation is offered about how this collective resentment created an atmosphere for some people to feel the need to act and retaliate against what they viewed as injustices. About the author: Paul Heroux previously lived and worked in Saudi Arabia and has traveled throughout other countries in the Middle East. Paul has been published over 300 times and writes for the Huffington Post. During the Iran deal, he was a regular contributor on RT International. Paul holds a Master's in International Relations from the London School of Economics, a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University's School of Government, a Master's in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor's in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Southern California. He wrote this over five years while he was 28 to 33 years old. Paul, now 40, is currently a State Representative from Attleboro, Massachusetts. www.PaulHeroux.org